Fico threatens to stop diesel deliveries to Ukraine

Bratislava, July 29 (TASR) – If the transit of Russian oil through Ukraine to Slovakia is not resumed soon, the Slovnaft refinery in Bratislava will stop diesel supplies to Ukraine, Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) said in a video on Facebook, claiming that Ukraine’s ambassador to Slovakia, Myroslav Kastran, had been informed about it.

“I told (the ambassador) that we stand by the measures and statements we have made. The further implementation of this senseless sanction (the suspension of oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia via Ukraine – editor’s note) will only harm Ukraine, Slovakia and Hungary. And Russia will be practically unaffected by it. If the transit of Russian oil via Ukraine is not resumed in the short term, Slovnaft, which covers a tenth of Ukraine’s consumption, will stop supplying diesel to Ukraine,” Fico said.

“Not even the issue of the transit of Russian oil through Ukraine can change our position on the war in Ukraine. It must end with an immediate ceasefire and not be artificially prolonged with the unrealistic aim of bringing Russia to its knees and with the realistic aim of lining the pockets of arms manufacturers even more,” Fico added.

According to the Prime Minister, the Ukrainian ambassador was informed about a technical solution for oil import from Russia via Ukraine, which Fico had proposed to the Ukrainian Prime Minister. “However, several countries must participate in this. On behalf of Slovakia, I repeat that we are ready. I welcome reports confirming that relevant trading companies are already thinking about how to implement this technical solution in the shortest possible time,” Fico noted.

The Prime Minister stressed that there are no obstacles for Slovakia to import Russian oil in the coming years. “However, Slovnaft will not be able to export products made from this oil to other countries,” he added.