Slovak PM discusses Lukoil oil blockade with Ukrainian PM and proposes his solution

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico spoke by phone with his Ukrainian counterpart, Denys Shmyhal, and proposed a "technical solution" for restoring the transit of Russian oil from Lukoil through Ukraine.

Source: TASR, citing Slovak government’s press office, as reported by European Pravda

Details: During the conversation, the statement says, Fico proposed a "technical solution" for the transit of Russian oil, "involving several countries, including Slovakia", to his Ukrainian counterpart.

Quote: "The restoration of a part of the Russian oil transit is extremely important for the Slovnaft refinery, as alternative sources of oil are more expensive and may be technologically unsuitable," the Slovak government emphasised.

They added that "intensive negotiations at the highest political and professional levels" will continue in the coming hours and days. The Slovak side did not disclose details of the proposed solution.

Hungary and Slovakia received exemptions from the European-wide ban on Russian oil imports following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. However, Kyiv recently ordered the suspension of Lukoil's oil product transit through the Druzhba pipeline.

Ukraine insists that the same amount of oil flows through the pipeline as before, thanks to other Russian companies. Hungary and Slovakia, on the other hand, argue that Kyiv's decision threatens their energy security.

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