Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said he would do everything possible to persuade the European Commission to pressure Ukraine into allowing an inspection of the Druzhba pipeline, which carries Russian oil through Ukrainian territory to Central Europe.
Speaking about the dispute over the pipeline, Fico also expressed support for Hungary’s position in blocking a 90 billion euro European Union loan intended for Ukraine.
‘The Ukrainian president is constantly causing damage to us and believes he can force us to change our pro-peace position into a pro-war stance. He is completely mistaken,’ Fico said.
According to the Slovak prime minister, the planned 90 billion financial package for Ukraine is effectively not a loan but a gift. Fico argued that Ukraine would not repay any of the funds, just as it would not repay an additional 100 billion in support that he said had already been provided to sustain its war effort against Russia. The Slovak leader emphasized that oil deliveries passing through Ukraine remain vital for Slovakia’s economy. He warned that halting shipments would cause significant losses for the country, both in terms of commodity markets and transit revenues. ‘It is clear that the Ukrainian president does not want this to continue, which would result in enormous losses for Slovakia,’ he said.
‘Oil deliveries passing through Ukraine remain vital for Slovakia’s economy’
Fico also noted that the Slovnaft refinery has already begun using oil from state reserves after Slovakia declared an oil crisis due to the disruption in supplies. Ahead of an upcoming European Union summit in Paris, the Slovak prime minister said he intends to raise the issue directly with Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission.
‘I will ask a simple question: how long will the European Commission continue to prioritize the interests of Ukraine, which is not an EU member state, over the vital national interests of Slovakia and Hungary, which are members of the European Union?’ Fico said. He also reiterated his proposal that the Commission should compel the Ukrainian government to allow experts to inspect the location where the pipeline was allegedly damaged. ‘Our information and satellite images show that the pipeline has no damage at all,’ he said, adding that Slovakia would even offer its own technical repair capacity if any minor technical issue needed to be addressed. ‘If it turns out that a bolt needs tightening somewhere on the Druzhba pipeline in Ukraine, we are ready to help,’ he added.
Fico also signalled that Slovakia could take over Hungary’s role in blocking the EU financial package for Ukraine if necessary. ‘The most important message I will deliver is that Slovakia is ready to take over the baton from Hungary if needed,’ he said, adding that the 90 billion military loan for Ukraine is currently effectively blocked. According to the Slovak prime minister, Ukraine may attempt to delay resolving the pipeline dispute until after Hungary’s next parliamentary elections.
Fico suggested that Volodymyr Zelenskyy could argue at the summit that oil shipments might be restored in a month or six weeks after the Hungarian vote, because he expects the opposition to win.
In that scenario, Fico warned, access to eastern oil supplies could disappear entirely unless another country continues Hungary’s current position within the European Union.
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