Slovak PM Fico threatens to stop sending electricity to Ukraine
Photo: Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico (GettyImages)
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said he could initiate a halt to emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine if oil deliveries to Slovakia are not resumed, according to his statement on X.
Fico said that if oil shipments are not restored by Monday, he will ask Slovak companies to stop emergency electricity deliveries to Ukraine.
He added that Slovakia has been helping Ukraine since the start of the war, hosting about 180,000 Ukrainians and providing humanitarian aid. At the same time, he accused the Ukrainian side of stopping energy deliveries.
"First, he (Zelenskyy) halted gas flows to Slovakia, causing us damages of €500 million per year. Now he has stopped oil flows, causing us further losses and logistical difficulties," Fico said.
Fico also said he refused to support a new military loan for Ukraine, citing his country's position.
Read also: Like addicts: Ukrainian MFA responds to Orbán and Fico’s criticism over Russian oil
How critical this is for Ukraine
Previously, energy market analyst Daria Orlova from ExPro Consulting told RBC-Ukraine that Slovakia accounts for about 18% of Ukraine’s electricity imports, while Hungary accounts for 45%.
She said that in February, Hungary and Slovakia together provide about 70% of imported electricity, a significant volume — more than 1.4 GW of additional capacity.
However, she noted that Ukraine can partially redistribute volumes through other channels, though fully replacing them would be difficult. She also suggested that Slovakia's statements are currently more political than operational.
Could supplies really be stopped
Orlova noted that EU energy system operators do not make such decisions independently, as their work is coordinated within the European network ENTSO-E.
Druzhba pipeline
Transit of Russian oil through Ukraine to Slovakia and Hungary stopped at the end of January after Russia struck a pumping station on the Druzhba pipeline. Because of this, Ukraine had to halt oil transport to refineries in those countries.
To secure supplies, Slovakia and Hungary began using strategic reserves and approached Croatia to arrange deliveries through its port and pipeline. Croatia officially agreed to help, but without transporting Russian oil.
On February 18, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said Budapest would suspend diesel deliveries to Ukraine until Russian oil transit is restored. The Slovak government supported this position.
Ukrainian fuel market experts Serhiy Kuyun and Oleksandr Sirenko noted that Hungary and Slovakia together account for up to 10% of the Ukrainian diesel market, so any loss could be offset by other supply channels.
Also on February 18, the Slovak government mentioned the possibility of stopping electricity exports to Ukraine if the pipeline is not restored. On February 19, About Hungary reported that Budapest is considering further restrictions, potentially halting supplies of not only diesel but also electricity and gas.
