Fico threatens Ukraine with consequences if it does not resume Russian oil transit

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has threatened Ukraine with consequences if the transit of Russian oil from Lukoil is not resumed.

‘If the transit of Russian oil through Ukraine is not resumed in the near future, Slovnaft will stop supplying diesel fuel to Ukraine, which is a tenth of Ukrainian consumption,’ he said in a video message on Monday, 29 July.

‘If the EU wants to reduce its total dependence on the US, it will need to consider forms of cooperation with Russia that relate to strategic raw materials,’ the Slovak prime minister said.

Fico told this to the Ambassador of Ukraine to Slovakia Miroslav Kaspran, TASR reports.

‘I told [the ambassador] that we support the measures and statements that we have made. The further implementation of this ridiculous sanction [to cut off oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia via Ukraine] will only harm Ukraine, Slovakia and Hungary. And Russia will be virtually unaffected,’ he said.

Fico noted that on Friday he had offered Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal a ‘technical solution’ to resume the transit of Russian Lukoil oil through Ukraine.

Although the Slovak prime minister did not provide details of his proposal, he noted that several countries were involved.

‘Several countries should be involved. On the part of Slovakia, I repeat that we are ready. I welcome the reports confirming that the relevant commercial companies are already considering how to implement this technical solution as soon as possible,’ Fico said.

Hungary and Slovakia have been granted exemptions from the EU-wide ban on Russian oil imports following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. However, Kyiv recently ordered the suspension of the transit of Lukoil's oil products, which it has sanctioned, through the Druzhba pipeline.

Ukraine insists that the pipeline continues to transport the same amount of oil as before, thanks to other Russian companies that are not under sanctions. Hungary and Slovakia, on the other hand, argue that Kyiv's decision threatens their energy security.

Background. As reported, the EU did not support Hungary and Slovakia in the Lukoil case. Representatives of 11 EU countries opposed the demands of Hungary and Slovakia to respond to the transit blockade.