By Elsie Kamsiyochi
Slovakia has issued a stark warning to Ukraine, threatening to halt emergency electricity supplies unless Kyiv moves swiftly to restore the flow of Russian oil through its territory, underscoring how energy dependencies continue to strain regional relations nearly four years into the war.
Speaking on Saturday, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said his government would act within days if oil deliveries to Slovakia are not resumed. He warned that unless pumping restarts by Monday, he would instruct Slovakia’s state electricity transmission operator, SEPS, to suspend emergency electricity exports to Ukraine.
The remarks mark one of the most direct threats yet to link wartime electricity support for Ukraine to the continued transit of Russian energy.
Slovakia, alongside Hungary, is among the last two European Union member states still heavily dependent on Russian oil deliveries via the Soviet-era Druzhba pipeline, which runs across Ukrainian territory.
Both countries have maintained comparatively pragmatic relations with Russia, setting them apart from the broader EU consensus that has sought to isolate Moscow economically following its invasion of Ukraine.
The disruption began on January 27, when Ukraine reported that Russian drone strikes damaged pipeline infrastructure in western parts of the country, forcing a halt to oil flows through the main Druzhba line.
Although Kyiv says repairs are ongoing under wartime conditions, Slovak and Hungarian leaders have stepped up pressure in recent days, demanding that transit be restored as soon as possible.
At the same time, Slovakia has become a crucial lifeline for Ukraine’s electricity supply. Russian missile and drone attacks have repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s power grid since October, destroying substations and power plants and plunging millions into prolonged blackouts during freezing winter months.
Energy specialists say Slovakia accounted for roughly 18% of Ukraine’s electricity imports last month, which reached record levels as Kyiv scrambled to keep homes heated and hospitals running.
“If oil supplies to Slovakia are not resumed, we will be forced to reconsider our assistance,” Fico said in a social media post, framing the issue as one of national interest rather than political retaliation.
His comments highlight the delicate balance between solidarity with a war-torn neighbour and domestic energy security concerns.
Ukraine, for its part, has insisted it remains committed to facilitating oil transit within the bounds of safety and international law. In a letter seen by Reuters, Ukraine’s mission to the European Union proposed alternative routes while emergency repairs continue, including shipments through other segments of Ukraine’s oil transport system or via maritime pathways that could involve the Odesa-Brody pipeline linking the Black Sea to European networks.
Kyiv stressed that it has never formally suspended Russian energy transit and continues to allow exports despite being under sustained military attack.
Throughout the conflict, Ukraine has permitted Russian oil and gas to cross its territory, even as volumes have dropped sharply due to sanctions and infrastructure damage.
This policy has long drawn criticism domestically, but Ukrainian officials argue it helps maintain international support and avoids alienating key European partners.
With the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion approaching, the standoff illustrates how energy remains a powerful bargaining tool in Eastern Europe.
As winter strains persist and wartime damage accumulates, disputes over pipelines and power lines risk further complicating an already fragile regional landscape.
Source Reuters
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