Slovakia is ready to take over from Hungary in blocking a loan to Ukraine

Slovakia, following Hungary’s lead, has said it will block a European Union loan for Ukraine if President Volodymyr Zelensky does not restore oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said this in a video posted on his Facebook page.

He said that at an upcoming meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen he intends to discuss the shutdown of the Druzhba pipeline.

According to him, Slovakia is ready to offer its services if, on the Ukrainian section of the pipeline, it is necessary to “tighten some screw.”

“But the main message will be that Slovakia is ready to take over the baton from Hungary if necessary,” Fico said.

He added that the EU loan for Ukraine in the amount of €90 billion is now effectively blocked.

“However, I’m not naive. The Ukrainian president has recently been talking about resuming supplies in a month to a month and a half—meaning after the elections in Hungary, where he is counting on the opposition to win. Then there will be no chance of oil from the East. Unless someone else takes over Hungary’s baton,” Fico said.

The prime minister also said that blocking this “huge military gift to Ukraine” is a legitimate tool to achieve the resumption of oil supplies, and that Zelensky is “capable of destroying the pipeline” and is hindering a peace agreement.

“Zelensky is constantly harming us and thinks he will force us to change our peaceful approach to ending the military conflict in Ukraine. He is absolutely mistaken,” Fico said.

As previously reported, Slovakia has terminated its contract with Ukrenergo under which Ukraine received emergency electricity supplies.