This move is described by Bratislava as "retaliation" for Kiev disrupting Russian oil flow through the Druzhba pipeline, increasing intra-EU tensions.
On February 23, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico announced that Bratislava had stopped emergency power supply to Ukraine until Kiev restored Russian oil flows to Slovakia through the Druzhba pipeline. He warned that "further retaliatory steps" could be taken if the situation does not improve.
The ultimatum that Mr. Fico issued last weekend expired on February 23. The Druzhba oil pipeline - a Soviet-era pipeline system connecting Russia with Slovakia and Hungary - has been disrupted since the end of January. Kiev believes that this infrastructure was damaged by Russian airstrikes, while Moscow denies the accusation.
Both Slovakia and Hungary accuse Ukraine of deliberately keeping supplies for political purposes and threaten to retaliate. When announcing the decision to stop power supply, Mr. Fico emphasized that Ukraine's actions were "a completely political decision aimed at extorting Slovakia".
The principle of reciprocity is the foundation of international relations. The government's first response to hostile actions from the Ukrainian President, in the form of an emergency power cut, is completely appropriate," Mr. Fico declared, while leaving open the possibility of further measures if oil flows are not resumed.
In the context of energy infrastructure being devastated by attacks targeting dual-use infrastructure, Ukraine is increasingly dependent on electricity imports to stabilize the national grid. According to the Slovak Prime Minister, in January alone this year, Ukraine's electricity received from Slovakia doubled the total output that this country received in the whole year of 2025.
Bratislava's move comes just hours after Hungary vetoed the EU's latest sanctions package against Russia, as well as proposed an emergency loan of 90 billion euros (about 106 billion USD) for Ukraine.
Budapest links this double veto to the controversy surrounding the Druzhba pipeline, accusing Kiev of imposing a "oil embargo" and using energy as a tool to put pressure.
A week earlier, both Slovakia and Hungary announced that they would temporarily suspend diesel oil exports to Ukraine until the Druzhba line resumes operation. Hungary is also considering the possibility of emergency power cuts to Kiev.
As the cold winter has not ended and electricity demand is still high, losing another source of supply from the EU could put greater pressure on the Ukrainian power grid.
