Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky could hold talks on restoring oil transit via the Ropovod Družba pipeline on March 6 or 9, with the dates proposed by the Ukrainian side. The Slovak prime minister wants to first initiate negotiations with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and has not commented on a possible visit to Kyiv, while the opposition claims he lacks genuine interest in talks.
Oil from Russia has not flowed through the Družhba pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia since January 27, which Ukraine says was caused by a Russian attack on pipeline facilities. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Fico suspect political pressure from Ukraine, while Kyiv rejects the allegations and states it is repairing damaged infrastructure.
Slovakia has suspended emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine as a reciprocal measure. After a phone call between Fico and Zelensky, preparations began for a possible meeting, with Fico stating, “We are already looking for a date and place, but I think it is now clear that the Ukrainian president has no interest in restoring oil transit.” Fico prefers the meeting to take place in one of the European Union member states, though Ukraine later proposed its own dates for talks.
“Ukraine proposed specific dates for Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico’s visit — March 6 or March 9 — to discuss all issues,” said Zelensky. Opposition leader Branislav Gröhling of SaS questioned why Fico does not travel to Ukraine, while coalition member Erik Tomáš of Hlas – SD said the location of the meeting is less important than achieving the restart of Druzhba supplies for Slovakia and Hungary.
Opposition MP Martin Dubéci of Progressive Slovakia accused the prime minister of lacking interest in solving the issue, saying he mainly posts political statements on social media. Political scientist Miroslav Řádek from Trenčianska univerzita Alexandra Dubčeka in Trenčín expressed skepticism, noting that Ukraine has little incentive to repair infrastructure damaged by Russian attacks while Slovakia insists on restoring Russian oil supplies.
State-owned company Transpetrol received a new schedule indicating that oil deliveries through the Družhba pipeline could resume this Wednesday, though the Ministry of Economy remains skeptical as the deadline has been postponed several times.
Source: STVR
