Slovakia has warned it could block the European Union’s next sanctions package unless it receives guarantees over oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline, according to officials.
Foreign minister Juraj Blanár said Slovakia would not support the 20th EU sanctions package targeting Russia unless the pipeline is operating normally. He told lawmakers that Bratislava currently has “no other tools” to ensure the restoration of stable oil flows via Druzhba.
Slovakia and neighbouring Hungary, both dependent on Russian crude, have raised concerns about repeated disruptions to the pipeline.
Blanár said:
If the Druzhba pipeline is not in operation when the approval of the 20th package is on the table, we won’t approve it.
He added that Slovakia’s position is driven by energy security concerns rather than broader political disagreements.
The Druzhba pipeline continues to supply oil to Central European countries including Slovakia and Hungary.
Slovak prime minister Robert Fico and his outgoing Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orbán have previously criticised Kyiv over the pipeline, with Orbán accusing Ukraine of “blackmail.”
Perhaps coincidentally, Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday, April 14th that the “damaged” Druzhba oil pipeline would be operational again by the end of April. This helps to explain why the Ukrainian oil blockade was often seen as political blackmail, aimed at helping Péter Magyar come to power.
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