Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico made a sharp statement regarding Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, threatening to stop electricity exports to Ukraine. The escalation was triggered by issues with the transit of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline, which runs through Ukrainian territory.
This is reported by Finway
Fico’s Statement and the Ukrainian Response
During a press conference, Fico emphasized that Slovakia could suspend cooperation with Ukraine in the energy supply sector if it cannot receive Russian oil. He stressed that further actions would depend on Kyiv’s position regarding the transit of energy resources.
“If Zelensky thinks this has no value, that he doesn’t need it, then we can make a decision and refuse to cooperate in the supply of electricity,” Fico said, hinting at the cessation of electricity exports to Ukraine.
The transit of oil through Druzhba was halted back in January following extensive strikes from Russia. As a result, on February 16, Slovakia and Hungary appealed to Croatia to organize an alternative route for oil imports to meet their own energy needs.
Limitations on the Impact of the Slovak Prime Minister’s Statements
It should be noted that similar threats from Robert Fico were heard in the winter of 2025. At that time, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal emphasized that decisions regarding cross-border electricity supplies are made not by the Slovak government, but by the European network operator ENTSO-E. This indicates that the possibility of a unilateral halt to electricity exports from Slovakia to Ukraine is technically and legally limited.