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Slovakia is suspending emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine despite the country’s extremely difficult situation caused by ongoing Russian strikes.
This was announced by Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on Facebook.
Ban on electricity supplies
Fico said that during a meeting with Slovakia’s finance minister Ladislav Kamenický he ordered a halt to emergency electricity deliveries to Ukraine.
“From today a rule applies: if the Ukrainian side asks Slovakia for help in stabilizing its energy grid, such assistance will not be provided,” he said. According to Fico, this is the first retaliatory step that the Slovak government can take without violating international rules or obligations.
He also warned that if Ukraine “continues to harm oil supplies to Slovakia,” his government may reconsider its previously constructive stance on Ukraine’s membership in the European Union and prepare additional measures.
Request to speak with Zelenskyy
Fico added that before making the decision he wanted to hold a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to ask when — and whether — oil transit to Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline would resume.
According to him, the Slovak government was informed that Zelenskyy would only be available for a conversation after February 25. Given what Fico described as the seriousness of the situation and the oil emergency declared in Slovakia, he said the government had to act immediately.
Fico accused the Ukrainian president of behaving like an enemy toward Slovakia and claimed Zelenskyy had deliberately halted supplies.
Situation with the Druzhba pipeline
Earlier, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Russia had struck infrastructure connected to the Druzhba pipeline. After that, oil transit to Slovakia and Hungary was disrupted.
Authorities in Hungary and Slovakia later blamed Ukraine, claiming Kyiv was unwilling to restore the transit for political reasons.
Last week, Fico warned that Slovakia could stop electricity supplies to Ukraine as the country struggles with power shortages due to continued Russian attacks.
