BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Slovakia on Monday escalated a dispute with Ukraine over oil deliveries by halting emergency electricity supplies to the country suffering from daily blackouts caused by Russia’s bombardment of power plants and transmission lines.
Russian oil shipments to Slovakia and Hungary have been interrupted since Jan. 27 after what Ukrainian officials say were Russian drone attacks that damaged the Druzhba pipeline, which carries Russian crude across Ukrainian territory and into Central Europe.
The two most pro-Russian countries in the European Union blamed Ukraine for deliberately holding back the oil shipments. They received a temporary exemption from an EU policy prohibiting imports of Russian oil.
Populist Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said Monday’s decision was taken after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declined to discuss the issue with him until after Wednesday.
“Given the seriousness of the situation and the declared state of oil emergency in Slovakia, we are forced to take the first reciprocal measure immediately. It will be lifted immediately after the resumption of oil transit to Slovakia,” Fico said in a statement.
“As of today, if the Ukrainian side turns to Slovakia with a request for assistance in stabilizing the Ukrainian energy network, it will not receive such assistance,” he said.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called on both countries “to engage in constructive cooperation and responsible behavior.”
The Slovak opposition condemned the decision.
Fico threatened to take further measures if the shipments don’t resume, including ending support for Ukraine’s aspiration to become an EU member.
Slovakia and Hungary have challenged Ukraine, claiming the Druzhba pipeline was ready to transport oil, without giving evidence.
“Our intelligence services report that the oil pipeline in Ukraine is functional,” Fico said. “Our ambassador to Kyiv has not yet been allowed to visit the part of the oil pipeline that the Ukrainian side claims is damaged.”
The Slovak leader asserted that stopping oil deliveries was “a purely political decision with the aim of blackmailing Slovakia” because its views of the Russian war against Ukraine differ from Europe’s mainstream.
___
This version corrects to say Fico said Zelenskyy declined to discuss the issue with him until after Wednesday, not until Wednesday.