Ukraine has halted Russian oil shipments to Slovakia and neighboring Hungary.
Slovakia’s Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok has described Ukraine’s action as unacceptable and a form of blackmail.
Kiev stopped crude oil shipments through the Druzhba pipeline to its neighbors last week, citing sanctions imposed on Russian energy giant Lukoil.
Slovakia and Hungary are the only EU nations that oppose the bloc’s policy of providing military support to Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.
“Ukraine has chosen to blackmail Slovakia and Hungary,” Sutaj Estok said in a social media video message on Wednesday.
“I consider Ukraine’s decision to cut off Lukoil’s oil supplies to Slovakia and Hungary unacceptable. I refuse to let Slovakia and the Slovak people serve as an instrument of revenge between Ukraine and Russia,” he added.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart, Denis Shmigal, last week, emphasizing that Bratislava will not be “a hostage of Ukrainian-Russian relations.”
Slovak President Peter Pellegrini also condemned Kiev’s suspension of oil transit, noting that his country had assisted Ukraine with reverse gas and electricity flows.
Hungary and Slovakia were granted exemptions from an EU-wide ban on Russian oil imports implemented in 2022 as part of a broad set of sanctions on Moscow. Lukoil previously provided up to 50% of the oil needs of these two EU member states.
Following the suspension of supplies last week, Budapest and Bratislava requested the European Commission to mediate with Kiev on the matter.
However, the European Commission has delayed this request, citing a need to “gather evidence and assess the legal situation,” according to the Financial Times, which cited EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis.
None of the trade officials from other EU member states supported Budapest and Bratislava in a Wednesday meeting to discuss the issue, the outlet added, citing diplomatic sources.
The European Commission stated on Tuesday that it did not perceive any “immediate” oil supply risks to the EU, according to Politico.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto threatened on Tuesday to block EU funds earmarked for Ukraine until Kiev resumes the transit of Russian crude.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban faced condemnation from EU leaders earlier this month for his “peace mission,” during which he visited Kiev, Moscow, and Beijing in an effort to negotiate a diplomatic resolution to the conflict.