Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has urged the European Union to lift sanctions on Russian oil and gas imports as part of a broader strategy to address the ongoing energy crisis. He emphasized the need to restore the flow of oil through the Druzhba pipeline and to work towards ending the war in Ukraine, which has significantly contributed to the current energy challenges.
Following a discussion with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Fico highlighted the importance of renewing dialogue with Russia to ensure that EU member states can secure necessary gas and oil supplies from all available sources, including Russia. Both Hungary and Slovakia stand out within the EU for maintaining closer relations with Moscow despite widespread sanctions.
The surge in oil prices has been exacerbated by U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran since February 28, which disrupted shipments from the Gulf region. The International Energy Agency described this as the largest oil supply disruption in history. In response, Central European countries have implemented measures to mitigate the impact of rising fuel costs on consumers and businesses.
By the last quarter of 2025, the EU had reduced its oil imports from Russia to just 1%, following extensive cuts after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. However, as of January 27, Hungary and Slovakia remained the only EU nations still importing Russian oil. This came amid a Russian drone strike on Ukrainian pipeline infrastructure, which disrupted oil shipments through the Druzhba pipeline.
Budapest and Bratislava have accused Ukraine of intentionally delaying repairs to the pipeline, sparking a political dispute that led Hungary to block an EU loan to Kyiv. Ukraine maintains that it is working to fix the damage as quickly as possible.
In his statement, Fico argued that addressing the energy crisis requires more than national efforts and called for a coordinated EU-level response. Meanwhile, five other EU countries have proposed imposing a windfall tax on energy companies’ profits in response to rising fuel prices, as revealed in a letter from finance ministers to the European Commission.
Additionally, the EU’s energy commissioner announced on Tuesday that the bloc is considering reintroducing crisis measures from 2022. These include proposals to reduce grid tariffs and taxes on electricity to alleviate the financial burden on consumers.
