Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has called on the European Union to reopen dialogue with Moscow on oil and gas supplies, arguing that restoring Russian energy flows would strengthen Europe’s security of supply at a time of renewed market stress.
The remarks were reflected in current reporting on 4 April 2026, following Fico’s call with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Fico said the EU should reconsider sanctions on Russian oil and gas and support the resumption of deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline, which remains important for both Slovakia and Hungary. Those two states are the only EU members still importing Russian oil in early 2026.
The intervention is politically significant because it reopens a longstanding division inside the bloc over the balance between sanctions policy and energy resilience. Brussels has spent the past four years reducing dependence on Russian fossil fuels, but higher prices and fresh supply disruption have pushed energy security back to the centre of the debate.
The Druzhba issue has already become a source of tension between Kyiv, Budapest and Bratislava. Oil flows were disrupted after damage to infrastructure in January, which Ukraine said was caused by a Russian attack. Hungary and Slovakia have argued that repairs have taken too long, while Ukraine has rejected accusations of deliberate delay. In March, Orbán said Hungary would use political and financial pressure to force the reopening of the route, and Zelenskyy later said the pipeline could be operational again within around six weeks.
Fico’s latest comments therefore go beyond energy pricing alone. They signal a renewed attempt by two member states to shift the EU conversation from sanctions pressure towards supply restoration, at a moment when the bloc is again confronting the economic consequences of external energy shocks.
