Slovak PM warns of new measures if Ukraine keeps blocking Russia oil transit

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico stated that Bratislava is prepared to take additional measures if Ukraine does not resume the transit of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline.

“The government is ready to take other countermeasures if we see that the Ukrainian president is not interested in supplying us with what we have the right to, what we purchased,” Fico said, Caliber.Az reports via Ukrainian media.

Earlier, Slovakia announced the suspension of emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine, linking the decision to problems with oil transit. Bratislava emphasised that it expects existing contractual obligations to be fulfilled.

The ongoing dispute stems from the disruption of Russian crude oil transit via the southern branch of the Druzhba pipeline, which supplies Slovakia and Hungary. Flows halted on January 27, 2026, following damage to key infrastructure on Ukrainian territory.

According to Ukrainian officials, the interruption resulted from a Russian drone strike that targeted pipeline facilities near the Brody oil hub in western Ukraine's Lviv region. The attack severely damaged high-pressure pumps, control systems, and other equipment, rendering continued transit physically impossible and prompting Ukraine to invoke force majeure. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha shared images showing extensive damage and fires at the site shortly after the incident.

Ukraine has maintained that repairs are underway but cannot proceed quickly or safely due to the risk of repeated Russian attacks on repair crews and infrastructure. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy noted that Russia bears full responsibility for the halt, as its strikes — including those destroying related pipeline links — have complicated restoration efforts.

Slovakia and Hungary have accused Kyiv of deliberately delaying repairs for political reasons, describing the situation as blackmail amid broader tensions over EU support for Ukraine. Bratislava has sought EU inspection of the damaged section to verify the extent of the damage and whether transit could resume.

By Khagan Isayev