Slovak Prime Minister Fico warns of electricity cutoff to Ukraine amid tensions over energy imports and EU priorities.
Energy Threat and EU Relations
The head of government in Bratislava stated that if Ukrainian authorities suggest Slovakia should abandon Russian oil and gas—despite higher costs and financial losses—Bratislava has the right to react. “If the president of Ukraine suggests we should buy gas and oil from somewhere other than Russia, even though it is more difficult and expensive, and we are losing large sums of money, we have the right to respond,” he said.
The announcement concerns emergency electricity supplies, which are implemented by the transmission system operator SEPS. Slovakia, as an EU member state synchronized with the continental ENTSO-E system, has participated in mechanisms supporting Ukrainian energy since the beginning of the Russian invasion. After synchronizing with the European network in March 2022, Ukraine has used energy imports during shortages, especially after Russian attacks on energy infrastructure.
Friendship Pipeline Dispute
Behind Fico’s statements remains the issue of oil supplies via the Friendship pipeline. The prime minister accused authorities in Kyiv of deliberately stopping the transit of Russian oil, which he believes is related to the political situation in Hungary. The pipeline near the compressor station in Brody, Ukraine, was damaged during a Russian raid at the end of January. Fico, citing intelligence sources, maintains that the infrastructure could already be functioning normally.
Slovak Energy Security Concerns
One refinery operates in Slovakia—Slovnaft, owned by the Hungarian MOL group. The Bratislava plant is technologically adapted mainly for processing Russian Urals-type oil. The government declared a state of emergency in the oil sector, and the refinery is operating thanks to the release of strategic reserves. This means that in the short term, the state ensures the continuity of fuel production by accessing mandatory reserves, which has a limited time horizon.
EU Embargo Exemptions
Slovakia, like Hungary, negotiated temporary exemptions from the EU ban on Russian oil imports via pipelines in 2022. The argument was the technological specificity of refineries and the lack of a rapid logistical alternative. Alternative supplies, including via the Croatian terminal in Omišalj and the Adria pipeline, involve higher transport costs and the need for technical adjustments.
Political Context and Peace Process
Fico also addressed the broader political context. He noted that any peace agreements regarding the war in Ukraine should be accepted only with the full participation of Kyiv. He emphasized that he does not want Ukraine to share the fate of Czechoslovakia in 1938, when decisions about its future were made without its involvement. At the same time, he assessed that Europe bears the main burden of the war today, which he considers irrational in current economic realities.
Military Support Debate
The prime minister recalled German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s words about the need to ensure that Russia is no longer able to wage war either militarily or economically. In Fico’s view, this means continuing military support for Ukraine at any cost, despite what he described as clear military failures and the lack of a military solution to the conflict.
