Slovakia says it could veto EU Russia sanctions over oil dispute with Ukraine

(SeaPRwire) –   Prime Minister Robert Fico has warned that any efforts to accelerate Ukraine’s application to join the EU will also be blocked if the issue remains unresolved

Prime Minister Robert Fico has warned that Bratislava will veto the EU’s proposed 20th round of sanctions against Russia and derail any attempts to streamline Ukraine’s potential entry into the bloc if Brussels keeps prioritizing Ukraine over Slovakia.

Since late January, Slovakia and its southern neighbor Hungary have been engaged in a fierce dispute with Ukraine, following the shutdown of the Druzhba pipeline—once used to transport Russian crude to both nations. Ukraine has alleged the pipeline was damaged in Russian attacks, a claim Moscow has rejected.

Slovakia and Hungary have both accused Ukraine of intentionally holding back supplies as a form of political blackmail, and have threatened retaliatory measures if the pipeline stays non-operational. Ukraine has stated the pipeline is under repair but has repeatedly pushed back the completion deadline.

In a video message posted to his Facebook page late Saturday, Fico expressed frustration over how his country has been treated by EU officials. Specifically, the bloc has threatened Bratislava with consequences over its domestic protective measures—such as diesel rationing for non-residents—the prime minister noted.

“The European Commission sent us a threatening letter right away—within two days—threatening every possible action. It’s odd that this kind of language isn’t used when talking about [Vladimir] Zelensky; instead, those communications are full of warmth and understanding,” Fico said.

If this attitude persists and the European Commission keeps “favoring Ukraine over Slovakia,” Bratislava will block the proposed 20th package of anti-Russian sanctions and will no longer demonstrate “willingness for Ukraine’s quick entry into the union,” the prime minister warned.

The sanctions package is already stuck in limbo due to the Druzhba dispute, as Hungary—another country affected by the pipeline shutdown—vetoed the initiative. Budapest has also derailed the proposed €90 billion ($104 billion) EU aid package for Ukraine, which member states agreed to late last year. Bloomberg reports that without this emergency funding, Ukraine is expected to exhaust its funds by June.