Slovakia may walk away from Russian oil and gas, Zelenskyy hints
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine (photo: Getty Images)
Slovakia could abandon purchases of Russian oil and gas if it had alternative sources, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to the broadcast of his meeting with US President Donald Trump.
According to the Ukrainian president, today, more pressure on Russia is needed to end the war. In particular, sanctions from the EU and the US are required.
"We support your idea on how to stop the possibility of buying Russian oil and gas. I had a conversation with the Prime Minister of Slovakia. I think that they need some alternative ways, and they will support this idea," he said.
As Zelenskyy added, he is not sure that Slovakia is ready for such a step today. However, the president did not rule out the possibility that this may happen in the future.
Trump's demand to Europe
Recently, Trump declared his readiness to impose "serious sanctions" against Russia, but set a condition: NATO countries must stop buying Russian gas and oil. And today, speaking at the UN General Assembly, the American president also criticized the EU, stating that the purchase of Russian oil by European countries is a disgrace.
As of today, at least eight EU countries continue to import Russian gas, and Slovakia and Hungary still purchase Russian oil. Recently, the US television channel Bloomberg reported that the EU is planning to shut down the Russian oil pipeline in Europe.
And in the 19th package of anti-Russian sanctions, the EU aims to include an accelerated ban on Russian gas imports. The supply is planned to be stopped gradually by January 1, 2027.
