Slovakia's Fico threatens to halt electricity supplies to Ukraine as Russian oil dispute escalates

Slovakia’s President Robert Fico has threatened to cut off emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine during a dire energy crisis amid an escalating dispute over Russian oil flows to central Europe on Feb. 21.

Fico accuses Kyiv of halting Russian oil transport via the Druzbha pipeline, after Russian strikes damaged Ukraine's energy infrastructure in late January. He claims Ukraine is deliberately stalling repairs and restarting the pipeline, which carries Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia – the last two EU states dependent on Russian crude.

"If the Ukrainian President does not resume oil supplies to Slovakia on Monday, on that same day I will ask the relevant Slovak companies to stop emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine," Fico wrote on X.

"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."

With Russian strikes tearing apart Ukraine's power plants, the country is in the grips of a severe energy crisis. Last month, Ukraine drastically increased electricity from the EU, overseen by the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENSOE).

Slovakia makes up some 17% of Ukraine’s electricity imports, according to Ukrenergo, Ukraine’s state-grid operator.

Hungary and Slovakia have previously followed through with their threats, including earlier this week when they stopped diesel exports to Ukraine. However, if Slovakia does cut off emergency electricity supplies on Feb. 23, it would be breaking energy market rules, said Polish energy expert Wojiech Jakobik.

"It would be costly for Slovakia to do it in an uncoordinated manner because it is not only about bilateral energy trade, but also European-Ukrainian trade. We are on the same market that is ruled by open access to the grids, and it is regulated by multiple rules," he told the Kyiv Independent.

"Slovakia could do something on its own on a technical level, but it is questionable on the basis of common energy policy and international relations."

Ukraine's Energy Ministry declined to comment on the issue.

Budapest and Bratislava have sought alternative routes, asking Croatia to facilitate deliveries via the Adria pipeline. Croatian Economy Minister Ante Susnjar said Zagreb refused to transport Russian oil.

The Druzhba pipeline, one of the world's largest oil networks with a capacity of about two million barrels per day, remains a critical supply route for Hungary and Slovakia.

Ukraine has argued that continued reliance on Russian energy undermines efforts to cut off funding for Moscow's war, while Russian strikes — and Kyiv's own attacks on energy infrastructure inside Russia — have further complicated the pipeline's future.

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