Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico announced on 23/2 that Ukraine would no longer receive emergency power assistance from Bratislava. "Starting today, Ukraine will not receive help when it asks Slovakia to support the stabilization of its energy grid", Fico stated.

This decision follows Prime Minister Fico's warning two days prior to cut emergency power to Ukraine. The condition for continued supply was Kyiv's resumption of oil transit from Russia to Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline, which traverses Ukrainian territory. Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban had issued a similar warning days earlier.

According to Fico, the power supply suspension will be lifted "as soon as oil transit to Slovakia is restored". He added that if the transit is not resumed, Slovakia "will take further retaliatory measures" and would also reconsider its "previously constructive stance on Ukraine's European Union (EU) membership".

Fico described the disruption of oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline as "a purely political decision" by Ukraine. He views this as an attempt to pressure Slovakia regarding its international position on the conflict between Kyiv and Moscow.

Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico at a press conference in Bratislava on 15/2. *Photo: AFP*

Ukraine's grid operator, Ukrenergo, stated it had not received official notification from Slovakia regarding the emergency power cut. Ukrenergo emphasized that the move "will not affect Ukraine's unified power system". The company noted that Ukraine's most recent request for emergency power assistance from Slovakia was over a month ago and for a very limited amount.

In contrast, Kyiv-based consulting firm ExPro reported that Hungary and Slovakia together provided approximately 68% of Ukraine's electricity imports this month.

Hungary and Slovakia have maintained amicable relations with Russia since the Ukraine conflict began in 2/2022. They are the two EU member states that continue to utilize Russian oil supplied through the Druzhba pipeline.

The Druzhba pipeline (blue) runs from Russia through Ukrainian territory to Slovakia and Hungary. *Graphic: Aspenia Online*

On 27/1, Ukraine announced the suspension of Druzhba pipeline operations. Kyiv attributed this to Russian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attacks that damaged infrastructure, stating that repairs were being carried out "as quickly as possible". However, Slovakia believes that pipeline repairs have been completed and that Ukraine is deliberately delaying the resumption of Druzhba operations. Fico mentioned that Slovakia's ambassador to Kyiv was prevented from inspecting the damaged section of the Druzhba pipeline. Furthermore, Slovak and Hungarian officials announced on 18/2 the suspension of diesel exports to Ukraine.

Ukraine has characterized these warnings from Slovakia and Hungary as "blackmail, provocative, irresponsible, and threatening the energy security of the entire region".

The EU implemented a ban on most oil imports from Russia in 2022. However, the Druzhba pipeline received an exemption to provide landlocked Central European countries time to secure alternative supply sources.

Huyen Le (According to AP, AFP, Al Jazeera)