UZHHOROD: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico to immediately cease oil imports from Russia during their meeting in western Ukraine.
Zelensky emphasised that Russia uses export revenues from these oil sales to finance its ongoing three-and-a-half-year war against Ukraine.
The European Union has implemented broad bans on Russian oil imports following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, though Slovakia and Hungary received special exemptions from these sanctions.
These exemptions were granted to allow both landlocked nations additional time to secure alternative energy supplies beyond Russian sources.
This policy divergence has created significant diplomatic tension between Bratislava and Kyiv, particularly regarding the Druzhba pipeline transit route through Ukrainian territory.
“Russian oil, like Russian gas, has no future,“ Zelensky stated during their joint press conference in Uzhhorod, near the Slovak and Hungarian borders.
The Ukrainian president affirmed his country’s continued targeting of Russian energy infrastructure while ensuring civilian energy needs would remain protected throughout these operations.
Fico recently met Russian President Vladimir Putin in China and maintains regularly critical views of Zelensky’s administration despite their face-to-face discussions.
The Slovak leader expressed optimism about a swift resolution to the conflict while acknowledging fundamental disagreements with his Ukrainian counterpart regarding peace prospects.
Fico additionally predicted eventual normalization of relations with Russia, outlining potential areas for future cooperation and dialogue between the nations.
A senior White House official previously confirmed to AFP that President Trump has demanded European nations completely halt purchases of Russian oil that directly fund Moscow’s military operations. – AFP