The Slovak Foreign Minister, Juraj Blanár, announced that Slovakia will not obstruct the European Union’s 20th sanctions package against Russia, contingent on the resumption of Russian oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline. His remarks were made during a press briefing on April 21, following a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels.
Blanár indicated that the potential revival of oil supplies has prompted Slovakia’s readiness to support the sanctions, stating, “We have received signals regarding possible oil deliveries, and I can only emphasize that we are prepared to back the 20th sanctions package against Russia, as we believe it will not significantly impact the Slovak economy.”
However, he clarified that Slovakia’s backing for these anti-Russian measures hinges on the actual arrival of oil via the Druzhba pipeline. Currently, he lacks information on the pipeline’s restoration and maintains that the decision to halt oil shipments to Slovakia and Hungary is a political stance taken by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár stated that Slovakia will support the EU's new sanctions against Russia if oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline resumes. He emphasized that the decision to block oil shipments is a political one made by Ukraine's leadership.