Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry on Saturday condemned what it called “ultimatums and blackmail” from Hungary and Slovakia, after the two countries threatened to halt electricity supplies unless Kyiv resumes Russian oil flows.
Shipments of Russian oil through Ukraine to Hungary and Slovakia have been suspended since January 27, following Kyiv’s claim that a Russian drone strike damaged pipeline infrastructure in Western Ukraine.
Both Budapest and Bratislava blame Ukraine for the prolonged disruption.
Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico warned that emergency electricity exports to Ukraine would stop within two days unless oil transit resumes.
Hungary’s Viktor Orban issued a similar threat earlier. These tensions mark one of the sharpest disputes yet between Kyiv and the two EU and NATO neighbors, whose leaders have maintained relatively warm ties with Moscow.
Hungary and Slovakia remain the only EU countries heavily dependent on Russian oil delivered via the Soviet-era Druzhba pipeline.
Between them, they provide roughly half of Europe’s emergency electricity exports to Ukraine, which Kyiv increasingly relies on amid Russian attacks that have repeatedly damaged its power grid.
“Ukraine rejects and condemns the ultimatums and blackmail by the governments of Hungary and the Slovak Republic regarding energy supplies,” the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said. “Ultimatums should be sent to the Kremlin, not Kyiv.”
Fico said in a post on X, “If oil supplies to Slovakia are not resumed on Monday, I will ask SEPS, the state-owned company, to stop emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine.”
Kyiv described such threats as “provocative, irresponsible, and a danger to the energy security of the entire region.”
Throughout the war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion almost four years ago, Ukraine has allowed its territory to be used for Russian energy exports to Europe.
Kyiv has proposed alternative routes for oil shipments while pipeline repairs are underway, including the Odesa-Brody pipeline linking its Black Sea port to the EU.
Since October, Russia has stepped up drone and missile attacks on Ukraine’s energy system, causing widespread blackouts and plunging millions into freezing winter conditions.
