Slovakia said it no longer objects to granting Ukraine a loan of 90 billion euros from the EU, but may block new sanctions against Russia over the issue of the Druzhba pipeline.
It is reported by Dennik with reference to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovakia Juraj Blanar, informs the portal PromPolitInform.
After the defeat of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in the elections, Slovakia seems to have retreated from its previous position on the allocation of a loan of 90 billion euros for Ukraine. Now the country says that it is not against it.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovakia Juraj Blanar noted that despite the refusal to block the loan, Slovakia may block a new package of sanctions against Russia until it receives guarantees for the restoration of the Druzhba pipeline.
Earlier, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico hinted that his country could “take over” in blocking a loan for Ukraine if Orban loses the election. At the same time, Blanard said that the words of the prime minister were distorted.
Since the end of January 2026, the transit of oil along the Druzhba route through Ukrainian territory has stopped. It was through this pipeline that Hungary and Slovakia received the vast majority of oil.
In response, Hungary has blocked a €90 billion loan to Ukraine from the EU until oil supplies resume. Slovakia also stated that it would not provide Ukraine with emergency electricity supplies until Druzhba was operational.
Ukraine emphasized that transit stopped after the Russian attacks, and suggested that the EU use alternative routes, in particular the Odesa-Brody oil pipeline, to supply oil to Hungary and Slovakia.
At the same time, Hungary and Slovakia referred to satellite images, which, according to them, indicated the absence of damage to the pipeline. Therefore, they considered the stop of Friendship a political decision and a way of pressure.
Photo – ERA
