Zelenskiy: Slovakia's Fico agreed to visit Ukraine for talks

Zelenskiy: Slovakia's Fico agreed to visit Ukraine for talks

Zelenskiy: Slovakia’s Fico Agreed to Visit Ukraine for Talks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has invited Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico to Kyiv on March 6 or March 9, 2026, to address escalating tensions over the Druzhba oil pipeline, a critical infrastructure dispute with significant economic and geopolitical implications according to Kyiv Post. The invitation follows a week of heightened friction between Ukraine, Slovakia, and Hungary, which rely on the pipeline for discounted Russian oil imports as reported by EuroNews.

The Druzhba pipeline, which transports Russian crude through Ukraine to Central Europe, has been non-operational for approximately a month due to disruptions. Slovakia and Hungary accuse Kyiv of deliberately delaying repairs to pressure them to abandon Russian energy imports, while Ukraine attributes the delays to Russian sabotage of energy infrastructure. Slovakia, an EU member state, has suspended emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine until oil flows resume according to Kyiv Post, while Hungary recently blocked a €90 billion EU financial aid package for Kyiv, drawing condemnation from pro-Ukraine EU members as reported by EuroNews.

Fico, who has maintained a pragmatic stance toward Russia despite Slovakia’s EU membership, defended the country’s reliance on Russian oil, citing EU-allowed exemptions from sanctions. "This is not 'Russian oil'; it is our right to receive a delivery we have secured and paid for," he stated in a social media post according to EuroNews. Slovakia and Hungary are the only EU nations continuing Russian oil imports, a policy Fico has framed as economically necessary for energy security.

To resolve the standoff, Fico and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán agreed to establish a joint investigative team to assess the pipeline's condition and demand Ukrainian access as reported by EuroNews. The March visit aims to address outstanding issues, including energy transit terms and reciprocal supply disruptions. While Fico has opposed Western military aid to Ukraine and halted state arms transfers to Kyiv, he has pledged support for Ukraine's EU membership bid according to Kyiv Post.

The dispute underscores broader tensions within the EU over energy policy and sanctions enforcement, with potential ripple effects on regional trade and investment. The outcome of Zelenskyy and Fico's talks could influence the stability of energy markets and EU cohesion amid Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine.

According to EuroNewsaccording to Kyiv Postas reported by EuroNews