German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Thursday welcomed the resumption of Russian oil supplies to Europe.

Russia and Belarus announced earlier in the day that oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline had fully resumed after they resolved a dispute over transit fees.

"Talks between Russia and Belarus on the issue of the transit tax have clearly led to the resumption of oil supplies," Steinmeier said.

"I welcome the fact that our calls to find a fast, constructive solution to the oil dispute did not fall on deaf ears in Moscow," he added.

The foreign minister also expressed his wish to enter into a dialogue with Russia to establish "a durable and reliable basis for our future relations in the field of energy."

The pipeline was cut off on Monday, affecting supplies to Germany, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Czech Republic. Deliveries along the 2,500-mile-long pipeline account for about a quarter of the EU's oil supplies.

Source: Xinhua