Fico bans emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine
Photo: Robert Fico, Prime Minister of Slovakia (Getty Images)
Slovakia is suspending emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine, despite the extremely difficult situation in the country caused by Russian strikes, according to Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on Facebook.
Read also: Moscow's hand: Slovak opposition attacks PM Fico's threats to Ukraine
Ban on electricity supplies
The head of the Slovak government said that during a meeting with Slovak Finance Minister Laco Kamenický, he ordered the suspension of emergency electricity deliveries to Ukraine.
"Starting today, the rule applies: if the Ukrainian side turns to Slovakia requesting assistance to stabilize the Ukrainian power grid, such assistance will not be provided. This is the first retaliatory step, which the Slovak government is entitled to take without violating any international rules or obligations," he added.
Fico also warned that if Ukraine "continues to disrupt oil supplies to Slovakia," his government will reconsider its "previously constructive positions on Ukraine’s EU membership and prepare further measures."
Request for a conversation with Zelenskyy
The Slovak Prime Minister said that before making this decision, he wanted to speak by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and get an answer on when, or if, oil transit to Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline would be restored.
"We received a message that the President of Ukraine is willing to talk only after February 25 of this year. Considering the seriousness of the situation and the state of oil emergency declared in Slovakia, under these circumstances, we are forced to immediately proceed with the first retaliatory measure," Fico complained.
He accused the Ukrainian head of state of allegedly treating Slovakia as an enemy. According to Fico, Zelenskyy himself stopped the gas transit.
"The Ukrainian president deliberately caused us harm by stopping oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline. We were forced to declare a state of oil emergency," Fico said.
Oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline
On February 12, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated that Russia had struck the Druzhba pipeline. Subsequently, oil transit to Slovakia and Hungary stopped.
Later, Budapest and Bratislava began blaming Ukraine. According to the authorities in Hungary and Slovakia, Ukraine allegedly refuses to restore transit for political reasons.
Last week, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico threatened to halt electricity supplies to Ukraine. These threats came amid an extremely difficult situation with the electricity supply in Ukraine due to ongoing Russian strikes.
