Slovakia Cuts Emergency Power to Ukraine as "Oil Diplomacy" Turns Sour Over Druzhba Pipeline Blockage

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has officially suspended emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine, effective immediately. Fico stated that the move is a direct retaliation for the disruption of Russian oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline on Ukrainian soil. Declaring an "oil emergency" in Slovakia, Fico warned that the suspension would only be lifted once oil flow resumes, threatening to reconsider Slovakia's "constructive stance" on Ukraine’s EU membership.

The move mirrors the escalating tensions within Central Europe, as Hungary also vetoed the EU’s 20th sanctions package against Russia today. While Kyiv claims the pipeline was damaged by Russian airstrikes, Bratislava and Budapest accuse Ukraine of "blackmail" and deliberate obstruction of energy supplies to exert political pressure. This energy rift highlights the fragile unity of the EU as the war enters its fourth year.