In a new escalation reflecting the intertwining of energy interests amid the war, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico announced on Monday the suspension of emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine. This decision came as a tit-for-tat measure after Russian oil supplies to Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline, which runs through Ukrainian territory, were halted, plunging Bratislava into a state of oil emergency.
Background to the crisis: The parallel energy war
Since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022, Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has been a strategic and systematic target of Russian forces. Missile and drone attacks have severely damaged or destroyed most of the country’s power and heating plants. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously stated that Russian strikes had left virtually no power station in Ukraine undamaged, forcing Kyiv to rely heavily on emergency electricity imports from its European neighbors, including Slovakia, to avoid widespread blackouts, particularly during harsh winters.
The importance of the Druzhba pipeline
The Druzhba (Friendship) pipeline, built during the Soviet era, is one of the world's longest oil pipeline networks and a vital artery for supplying refineries in Central and Eastern Europe with Russian oil. Landlocked Slovakia relies heavily on this pipeline to meet its crude oil needs. Therefore, any disruption to the flow of oil through this route poses a direct threat to Slovakia's energy security and economy.
Slovakia's decision and its repercussions
In a Facebook post, Prime Minister Fico explained that the seriousness of the situation and the declaration of a state of emergency in Slovakia necessitated immediate action. He stated, “Given the seriousness of the situation and the declared state of emergency in Slovakia, we are obliged to respond immediately with this first measure.” Fico confirmed that the suspension of electricity supplies would be lifted as soon as oil transit to Slovakia resumed, hinting that his country might take further measures if the disruption continued.
This decision places Ukraine under additional pressure, as it loses a vital source of support for its strained electricity grid. Regionally, the incident highlights the vulnerability of energy corridors crossing conflict zones and how they can be used as political and economic leverage. The decision also reflects the new direction of the Slovak government under Robert Fico, which has adopted a more skeptical stance toward providing unlimited support to Ukraine, potentially signaling cracks in the unified European position on the crisis.
