State-owned energy operator SEPS has announced that Slovakia will terminate its emergency power supply agreement with Ukraine.
The move comes amid a continuing row between Kiev and Bratislava over the Soviet-era Druzhba pipeline, which carried crude oil from Russia to Slovakia and Hungary. The pipeline went offline in late January, which Kiev claimed was damaged by Russian long-range strikes, which Moscow denied. Slovakia and Hungary have echoed Russia’s stance, accusing Ukraine of deliberately disrupting supplies for political reasons and threatening retaliation.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico last week ordered an emergency power supply from his country to Ukraine amid threats “Further Interactions” If oil supply is not resumed. Announcing the freeze, Fico reiterated that Ukraine’s actions were a “A purely political decision intended to blackmail Slovakia.”
SEPS director Martin Magath told reporters after a government meeting on Wednesday that the contract with Ukrainian energy operator Ukranego, which includes emergency supplies, has now been terminated. Last week, Ukraine reached out to Slovakia for emergency power supply, but the request was rejected, he revealed.
Kiev relies heavily on electricity imports to stabilize its power grid, which has been battered by Russian strikes on Ukraine’s critical dual-use infrastructure. According to Slovak authorities, Kiev received twice as much electricity from the country this January compared to the entire year of 2025.
Budapest is considering cutting emergency power supplies to Ukraine amid the Druzhba standoff. In late February, both Slovakia and Hungary announced they would suspend diesel exports to Ukraine until the pipeline is operational again.
Additionally, Budapest vetoed the EU’s proposed €90 billion ($106 billion) emergency loan for Ukraine and the latest package of anti-Russian sanctions. Until Kiev “Common sense and a return to normality, we will not support any decision favorable to Ukraine” Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said.
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