Slovakia threatens to halt diesel supply to Ukraine over Druzhba pipeline attacks

Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár noted that the Slovnaft refinery, which processes Russian crude oil, is a major supplier of diesel fuel to Ukraine. The facility provides about 10% of the country's consumption, making it a key part of Ukraine's fuel supply chain.

He warned that strikes on the Druzhba pipeline could leave Ukraine without Slovak fuel deliveries. To address the issue, he discussed the matter with his Ukrainian counterpart, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, who took note of the concerns.

Blanár acknowledged that Slovakia understood Ukraine was facing a difficult situation. However, he stressed that the infrastructure was critically important for his country. He added that Ukraine was inadvertently undermining its own interests and risking fuel shortages. Protecting these deliveries, he said, was Slovakia's national interest, which was why the country was engaging openly with the Ukrainian side.

Slovnaft is a refinery that relies primarily on Russian oil. This crude arrives through Russia's Druzhba pipeline, which has recently been repeatedly targeted by Ukrainian forces. Slovakia's statement was made in this context.

Blanár also recalled that in January, the European Council emphasized the indivisibility of energy infrastructure within the EU. He noted that the European Commission is prepared to take action if this principle is not upheld.

Against this backdrop, on Friday, August 22, the foreign ministers of Slovakia and Hungary sent a joint letter to the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, and EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen. In the letter, they urged immediate enforcement of member states' obligations to safeguard energy supplies.

Blanár said that his statements were not meant to escalate the situation. Instead, he called for a pragmatic approach and emphasized that Slovakia must protect its interests.

He added that the immediate priority is to end the war in Ukraine as quickly as possible, highlighting the initiative of US President Donald Trump. According to Blanár, only bringing the conflict to an end could stop the ongoing attacks on energy infrastructure by Ukraine against Russia and vice versa.

Ukrainian strikes on the Druzhba oil pipeline

The first strike on the Druzhba pipeline took place on August 13. On August 18, Ukrainian forces hit the Nikolskoye oil processing facility in Russia's Tambov region.

The attack caused a fire, and Russian authorities suspended oil pumping through Druzhba.

Around August 20, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó announced that oil pumping had been restored. But on August 21, Ukrainian drones struck the Unecha facility, again halting supplies to Hungary and Slovakia.