Slovakia will cut power supplies to Ukraine unless oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline resumes, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Feb. 23.
However, a Ukrainian official told the Kyiv Independent that Kyiv would still be able to import emergency electricity supplies from Slovakia despite Fico's announcement.
Tensions center on the Druzhba pipeline, a major route supplying Russian crude through Ukraine to Hungary and Slovakia. The pipeline has been offline since late January following a Russian drone strike.
Slovakia and Hungary have accused Ukraine of withholding transit for political reasons, claims Kyiv rejects. Both countries escalated the standoff on Feb. 18 by halting diesel exports to Ukraine.
"From today, it applies that if the Ukrainian side turns to Slovakia with a request for assistance in stabilizing the Ukrainian energy network, such assistance will not be received," Fico said.
However, Ukraine's state grid operator, Ukrenergo, said it received a notice from Slovakia's energy regulator about new flexible price conditions for emergency imports, Vitaliy Zaichenko, Ukrenergo's CEO, told the Kyiv Independent.
"Ukraine can import emergency energy, but at a different price," he said. "It's nothing serious. Ukraine is not dependent on this emergency assistance. It's sporadic."
Slovakia makes up around 17% of Ukraine's electricity imports from the EU. Ukraine has had to import more energy from its neighbors this year as Russia tears apart its battered energy infrastructure.
Zaichenko said he did not know why Fico made the announcement, which comes amid a growing dispute between Kyiv, Bratislava, and Budapest over Russian oil flows.
"This seems to be more of a political gesture rather than actual action," Denys Sakva, an energy analyst at Ukrainian investment firm Dragon Capital, told the Kyiv Independent.
The Slovak prime minister also warned that his country could also reconsider its support for Ukraine's EU membership and "prepare further measures" if the dispute continues.
The Druzhba network, one of the world's largest oil pipeline systems, remains a key source of supply for Hungary and Slovakia — widely regarded as having the EU's most pro-Russian governments — and the only member states still importing Russian crude through the route.
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.
Fico's announcement came just hours after the EU failed to approve its 20th sanctions package on Russia due to Hungary's veto — a step Budapest had vowed to take if oil supplies were not restored.
Hungary also blocked a planned 90 billion euro ($107 billion) EU loan for Kyiv.
At a Foreign Affairs Council meeting, EU ministers were unable to convince Hungary and Slovakia to withdraw their threats to punish Ukraine over delays in resuming oil transit.
The Kyiv Independent has learned that Hungary intends to maintain its position.
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