Slovakia Halts Power To Ukraine, Hungary Blocks Massive EU Loan

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief reporting from Budapest, Hungary

BRATISLAVA/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Slovakia has halted emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine since Monday and Hungary blocked a 90 billion ($98 billion) European Union loan after Kyiv did not restore Russian oil deliveries through the Druzhba (“Friendship”) pipeline.

Kyiv says the pipeline was damaged by a Russian drone strike last month and that repairs have taken longer than expected. However, the prime ministers of Slovakia and Hungary — both heavily dependent on Russian energy — accuse Ukraine of using oil transit as political leverage.

They claim Kyiv is exploiting the disruption to pressure them into backing Ukraine’s European Union membership bid and other pro-Kyiv policies.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico announced the decision in a video statement after a weekend ultimatum expired.

“From today, if Ukraine asks Slovakia for help stabilising its energy network, it will not receive such help,” Fico said.

RUSSIAN OIL FLOWS

He had demanded that Kyiv restore oil flows through the Druzhba pipeline by Monday or face a suspension of emergency electricity deliveries.

Fico said Slovakia’s ambassador in Kyiv was prevented from visiting the damaged section of the pipeline. “Stopping oil flow is a purely political decision to blackmail Slovakia,” he said, without mentioning Ukraine’s claim that a Russian drone strike caused the disruption.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán backed Slovakia’s position and has blocked the proposed 90 euro billion EU financial package for Ukraine, linking Budapest’s support to the restoration of oil transit.

His veto meant Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, arrived in Kyiv without a finalized financial package as she marked the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022.

Von der Leyen was joined by António Costa, president of the European Council, for the official memorial ceremony commemorating Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II. The two leaders were also scheduled to visit damaged energy infrastructure and hold a trilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

COALITION OF THE WILLING

Additionally, they were to participate in a “Coalition of the Willing” meeting convened by French President Emmanuel Macron and Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer, reaffirming support for Ukraine’s security and peace.

Ahead of the anniversary, rallies in support of Ukraine were held across Europe, including in Amsterdam, Berlin, Budapest, London, Paris, and Prague. The meetings in Kyiv come amid concerns that U.S.-brokered peace talks have yet to yield tangible results as fighting continues.

Yet despite ongoing Russian attacks, including on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, Hungary is also considering following Slovakia’s example by halting electricity deliveries to Ukraine, according to government-aligned sources.

However, officials are said to be reluctant to take that step because it could affect the nearly 160,000 ethnic Hungarians living in western Ukraine, many of whom depend on cross-border energy stability.

Earlier this month, both Hungary and Slovakia suspended diesel exports to Ukraine in response to the oil dispute.

KYIV DENOUNCES ‘BLACKMAIL’

Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry condemned Slovakia’s ultimatum as “blackmail” that plays into Russia’s hands.

“Ultimatums should be sent to the Kremlin, and certainly not to Kyiv,” the ministry said in a statement.

The Druzhba pipeline stopped operating on January 27 after what Ukraine described as a Russian drone strike on equipment near Brody in western Ukraine. Kyiv says technicians are conducting detailed inspections and repairs while working under the threat of further attacks.

Ukraine has proposed alternative transit routes, including the Odesa-Brody pipeline, while emergency repairs continue.

The dispute marks a new escalation in tensions between Kyiv and two Central and Eastern European governments that remain reliant on Russian oil supplies despite the ongoing war.

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