Ukraine’s Zelensky acting ‘maliciously’ by cutting oil supply, Slovakia’s PM says
Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico says Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is acting “maliciously” by cutting the oil supply to his country.
On Saturday, Fico issued a two-day ultimatum to Kiev on X. He threatened to cut electricity to Ukraine if Kiev failed to resume the pumping of Russian oil through its territory. Slovakia last month provided 18 percent of Ukrainian electricity imports.
Fico warned Zelensky that he would ask state-owned company SEPS to halt emergency supplies of electricity if flows of Russian crude via the Soviet-era Druzhba pipeline crossing Ukraine are not resumed by Monday.
Slovakia’s PM added that his refusal to “involve the Slovak Republic in the latest 90 billion euros ($105bn) military loan for Ukraine” had been “absolutely correct.”
He pointed out that it is costing Slovakia “damages of 500 million [euros; about $589m] per year.”
Fico said Zelensky was acting “maliciously” towards his country, describing his conduct as “unacceptable behavior.”
The Slovak leader had already pointed out at a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart in Uzhhorod in western Ukraine in September that Kiev and Bratislava have “two diametrically opposed viewpoints” on economic concerns regarding energy issues.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has expressed similar views. On Friday, Orban threatened to veto the EU's 90 billion euros ($105bn) loan package to Ukraine.
“As long as Ukraine blocks the Druzhba pipeline, Hungary will block the 90‑billion-euro Ukrainian war loan. We will not be pushed around!” the Hungarian leader wrote on Facebook.
Slovakia and Hungary, both neighboring Ukraine, have remained dependent on Russian oil since the Kremlin launched its “special military operation” in eastern Ukraine nearly four years ago.
Both countries have become increasingly vocal in demanding Kiev resume deliveries through the pipeline, which was shut down after what Ukraine said was a Russian drone strike that hit infrastructure in late January.
They received a temporary exemption from an EU policy prohibiting imports of Russian oil over the war in Ukraine.
In response to the two countries' demand for Kiev to resume Russian oil deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline, the Ukrainian foreign ministry accused the two countries of “playing into the hands of the aggressor [Russia].”
It claimed that it had already provided a report on the extent of damage to the Druzhba pipeline, adding that repair work is underway.
The Ukrainian foreign ministry “also proposed alternative ways to resolve the issue of supplying non-Russian oil to these countries.”
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Zelensky acting ‘maliciously’ by cutting oil supply: Slovakia’s PM
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