Slovak premier demands EU allow Russian oil and gas deliveries

Slovak prime minister Robert Fico has urged the European Union to rethink its sanctions regime on Russian oil and natural gas, warning that ongoing energy supply disruptions are pushing European economies to the brink. Fico's appeal comes as the conflict in the Middle East continues to roil global energy markets, with Iran having halted most commercial shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz – a waterway that carries approximately one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas.

Energy prices surge across Europe

The closure of the Hormuz route has sent energy and fuel costs soaring across the continent, hitting landlocked countries like Slovakia particularly hard. Bratislava remains heavily dependent on external energy sources and has few immediate alternatives to Russian supplies. In a statement issued after a phone conversation with Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban, Fico called on Brussels to act swiftly. According to TVP World, the Slovak leader demanded that the EU and especially the European Commission immediately resume dialogue with Moscow.

Fico: All energy sources must be on the table

Fico argued that the EU should create a political and legal environment allowing member states to replenish missing gas and oil supplies from all possible directions – including Russia. He specifically called for efforts to restore full operations of the Druzhba pipeline, a critical infrastructure link that supplies Russian crude to Hungary and Slovakia. Both nations currently benefit from exemptions to certain EU sanctions on Russian oil due to their limited alternative supply options.

Ukraine accused of blocking pipeline repairs

Fico and Orban have accused Kyiv of deliberately delaying the resumption of deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline for political motives. Ukrainian authorities have denied the claims, stating that repair work is still underway following damage caused by a Russian drone strike earlier this year. The dispute highlights growing divisions within the EU over energy policy, with Central European members increasingly at odds with Brussels' sanctions-first approach. Türkiye, which maintains energy dialogue with both Russia and Ukraine, has positioned itself as a potential transit hub and mediator in European energy security discussions.