Slovakia and Hungary are angry after the flow of Russian oil through Ukraine was halted by an alleged Russian drone attack last month.
Posted on February 21, 2026
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has given Ukraine two days to resume pumping Russian oil through its territory, threatening to cut off electricity to the war-torn country if this demand is not met.
Fico issued his ultimatum to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday, warning in
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Slovakia and neighboring Hungary, which have remained reliant on Russian oil since the Kremlin launched its invasion of Ukraine nearly four years ago, have become increasingly vocal in demanding that kyiv resume deliveries through the pipeline, which was shut down after what Ukraine said was a Russian drone attack that hit infrastructure in late January.
The Slovak leader accused Zelenskyy of acting “maliciously” towards his country, alluding to Ukraine's earlier interruption of Russian gas supplies after a five-year transit agreement expired on January 1, 2025, which he claimed is costing Slovakia “500 million in damages.” [euros; about $589m] per year”.
Describing Zelenskyy's actions as “unacceptable behavior”, he said his refusal to “involve the Slovak Republic in the latest 90 billion euro ($105 billion) military loan for Ukraine” had been “absolutely correct”.
Slovakia is a major source of European electricity for Ukraine, needed as Russian attacks have damaged its grid. Energy sector experts say Slovakia provided 18 percent of Ukraine's record electricity imports last month.
EU loan in danger
Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic opposed the European Union's interest-free loan package, which the bloc's member states agreed to in December to help Ukraine meet its military and economic needs over the next two years.
While the three nations opposed the package, which replaced a controversial plan to use frozen Russian assets that ran aground over legal concerns, a compromise was reached in which they did not block the initiative and were promised protection against any financial consequences.
However, as tensions rose over disrupted Russian oil supplies this week, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban threatened on Friday to annul the December deal by vetoing the EU loan package.
“As long as Ukraine blocks the Druzhba pipeline, Hungary will block the Ukrainian war loan of 90 billion euros. We will not allow ourselves to be pressured!” the Hungarian leader wrote on Facebook.
Slovakia and Hungary received a temporary exemption from an EU policy banning imports of Russian oil because of the war in Ukraine.
Ukraine responds
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry sharply criticized Slovakia and Hungary on Saturday for what it called their “ultimatums and blackmail” on energy issues, saying the two countries are “playing into the hands of the aggressor.” [Russia]”.
The ministry said Ukraine had provided information about damage resulting from “Russian attacks” on the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia, and that repair work was underway.
Meanwhile, he said, “he has also proposed alternative ways to resolve the issue of non-Russian oil supplies to these countries.”
