Taking over baton from Hungary: Fico threatens to block massive EU loan for Ukraine
Photo: Robert Fico (Getty Images)
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said he will block a major EU loan for Ukraine worth $90 billion if inspectors are not allowed to examine the damaged Druzhba oil pipeline, according to Reuters.
In a video address, Fico announced that on March 10, he will meet in Paris with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and demand that experts be allowed to visit the Druzhba oil pipeline.
Otherwise, if that does not happen, the Slovak prime minister threatens to follow the example of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and also block the €90 billion EU loan for Ukraine.
“But the most important message will be that Slovakia is ready to take over the baton from Hungary, if necessary. Blocking this huge military gift to Ukraine is a legitimate tool to achieve the restoration of oil supplies,” he said.
Reuters also notes that Slovakia has already suspended emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine amid the dispute.
Background
It should be recalled that supplies of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia via Ukraine were halted at the end of January. This happened after Kyiv said that a fire caused by a Russian attack seriously damaged the pipeline.
The Ukrainian side also says that the pipeline cannot be repaired quickly. However, Hungary and Slovakia claim Kyiv is allegedly deliberately delaying the restoration of supplies for political reasons.
Because of this, Hungary vetoed new EU sanctions against Russia and also blocked the €90 billion loan the bloc planned to provide to Ukraine.
By the way, Orbán recently said that Hungary will suspend gasoline and diesel supplies to Ukraine until Kyiv restores the operation of the Druzhba pipeline.
A detailed analysis of how Orbán is pressuring Ukraine and the EU can be found in an RBC-Ukraine article.
