Slovakia plans to veto the EU's 20th package of sanctions against Russia, but not the loan to Ukraine

Bratislava is prepared to block new sanctions against Russia until oil begins flowing through the Druzhba pipeline, but will not stand in the way of a €90 billion loan to Ukraine. 

This was stated by Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár before members of the European Parliamentary Committee, according to Dennik N. A key condition for the Robert Fico government’s support of sanctions is guarantees that the Druzhba oil pipeline will resume operations and assurance that the new restrictions will not harm the country’s national interests.

Despite his tough stance on sanctions, Blanár emphasized that the block does not extend to financial aid for Kyiv. The official also noted a shift in the rhetoric of the future Hungarian government, which, following Viktor Orbán’s defeat in the elections, expressed a willingness to support this loan. Previously, oil supplies through Ukrainian territory were suspended due to hostilities, a fact that Bratislava is using as a lever to pressure Brussels.

Currently, the Slovak authorities are demanding a transparent report on the state of the energy infrastructure and a timeline for resuming the transit of Russian raw materials. At the same time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy predicted that the pipeline would resume operations by the end of April following the completion of repair work. Slovakia continues to maneuver between supporting Kyiv on financial matters and protecting its own energy ties with Russia.

The European Commission has finalized the key elements of a €90 billion financial support package for Ukraine for 2026–2027. The first tranche is expected to be disbursed as early as the second quarter of this year.

Von der Leyen assured that Ukraine will receive a loan from the EU.