Robert Fico 🇸🇰

On behalf of Slovakia, I refused to approve the conclusions of today’s summit, which fully support Ukraine.

IN A CONVERSATION WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL, A. COSTA, I EMPHASIZED THAT THE EU CANNOT PRIORITIZE THE INTERESTS OF UKRAINE OVER THE INTERESTS OF EU MEMBER STATES SUCH AS SLOVAKIA OR HUNGARY As part of preparations for Thursday’s European Council summit, I held a telephone consultation with the President of the European Council, António Costa. I appreciate that a substantial part of our nearly 45-minute conversation was devoted to the issue of restoring the operation of the Druzhba oil pipeline on Ukrainian territory. The Slovak government cannot accept the unilateral and harmful step taken by the Ukrainian president to halt the transit of oil and expects EU institutions to exert pressure on the Ukrainian leadership to restore the flow of Russian oil, which we are entitled to receive until the end of 2027. I emphasized to the President of the European Council that EU institutions cannot prioritize the interests of a non-EU country, Ukraine, over those of EU member states. I also expressed dissatisfaction that the European Commission has so far presented no concrete proposals to reduce electricity prices, despite repeated requests from EU prime ministers and heads of state.

SLOVAKIA WILL NOT BE BLACKMAILED THROUGH ENERGY In light of the current events in the Middle East, it should now be clear to everyone that the struggle of the Slovak government to secure safe supplies of oil and gas is the main task of the day. It is also clearer than ever that the future of Slovakia’s energy sector must be closely linked to the development of nuclear energy, in which Slovakia ranks among the most significant players. I am proud that Slovaks were able to clearly see into the future and did not succumb to pressure to phase out nuclear energy. On the contrary, we rejected utopian ideas and worked on further projects. We are not resting on our laurels and we are moving forward. Only in this way can we secure Slovakia’s strategic needs for the coming decades.

PRIME MINISTER OF THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC ROBERT FICO HELD TALKS ON ASSISTANCE FOR SLOVAK CITIZENS WITH THE UAE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS ABDULLAH BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN Today, on Sunday, 8 March 2026, at the Office of the Government of the Slovak Republic in Bratislava, the Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic, Robert Fico, met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The main topic of the meeting was the current situation in the Middle East and assistance for Slovak citizens who are also located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic thanked the United Arab Emirates for their assistance so far in organizing the evacuation of our citizens from the region. “I welcomed the openness of the United Arab Emirates in ensuring the evacuation of Slovak citizens through UAE aircraft, with the possibility of direct flights between Bratislava and Dubai,” said Robert Fico, expressing full solidarity with the United Arab Emirates, which are facing repeated missile attacks from Iran. On Tuesday, 10 March, the first Slovak flight from Bratislava to Dubai should take place, organized by the Ministries of Defence, Foreign Affairs, and Interior. Today, the 13th and 14th repatriation flights will arrive, which have so far evacuated our citizens from Jordan, Oman, and Saudi Arabia. The talks at the Office of the Government also focused on bilateral cooperation and investment projects. The Minister of Foreign Affairs expressed particular interest in cooperation in nuclear energy. Prime Minister Robert Fico appreciated the activities of the Emirates in the region, which represent an important stabilizing factor, and also pledged the cooperation of the Slovak Republic in negotiations on concluding a free trade agreement between the European Union and the countries of the Persian Gulf – the Gulf Cooperation Council. During the meeting, the Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic, Robert Fico, extended an invitation for an official visit to the Slovak Republic to the President of the UAE. Also attending the meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates at the Office of the Government of the Slovak Republic were the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic Juraj Blanár, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the Slovak Republic Robert Kaliňák, and State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Marek Eštok.

REACTION OF THE PRIME MINISTER OF THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC, ROBERT FICO, TO THE BLACKMAILING BEHAVIOR OF UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY I express full solidarity with the Prime Minister of Hungary, @PM_ViktorOrban. If the Ukrainian president continues like this, it may happen that other EU member states will also block the 90-billion loan for Ukraine. And I officially ask all the highest representatives of the European Union and I will be very specific: 👉🏻 the President of the European Commission, @vonderleyen 👉🏻 the President of the European Council, @eucopresident 👉🏻 and also the so-called EU foreign affairs chief, @kajakallas ☝🏻 to distance themselves from these outrageous blackmailing statements of the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

WE HAVE NOWHERE TO TURN! If Zelensky doesn’t allow oil to flow to Europe, he is asking for the €90 billion loan to be stopped.

It was natural to expect that retaliatory actions from Iran would follow the attack on Iran. I would like to express solidarity with all the affected countries, especially the United Arab Emirates and its President, as they actively and consistently advocate for stability and peace in the region.

AFTER A PHONE CALL WITH UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT V. ZELENSKY In connection with the state of the oil emergency in Slovakia, I spoke today by phone with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. I asked him for information on when, and whether at all, the transit of oil through the territory of Ukraine to Slovakia would be resumed. I argued that we have a legitimate right to such imports based on signed agreements with suppliers, as well as on the EU decision allowing the use of energy resources from Russia until the end of 2027. I informed the President that his decision to stop the transit of oil is causing us logistical difficulties and economic damage. The conversation confirmed that we have differing views on the condition of the pipeline. While our intelligence information confirms that the pipeline is not damaged and nothing prevents the transit of oil, the Ukrainian President insisted that repairing the pipeline requires a long time. For this reason, in order to avoid misunderstandings, I informed the Ukrainian President that together with the Hungarian Prime Minister V. Orbán, we are proposing the establishment of an inspection group composed of experts nominated by the European Commission and EU Member States, which would directly determine on site the actual state of technological damage to the pipeline or its ability to continue oil transit to the territory of the Slovak Republic. I reminded the Ukrainian President that the Ukrainian side has so far not allowed our ambassador in Kyiv to carry out such an inspection and that this opportunity was not given even to the Ambassador of the European Union to Ukraine. President Zelensky rejected such inspection activity, referring to a negative position of the Ukrainian intelligence services. The Ukrainian President proposed a joint meeting with the Slovak side on all aspects of Ukrainian-Slovak cooperation. I accepted this invitation and asked the Office of the Government of the Slovak Republic and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, in cooperation with the Ukrainian side, to find a suitable date for such a meeting, while I prefer a meeting with the Ukrainian President on the territory of one of the EU Member States that the Ukrainian President frequently visits. Pro domo: From the conversation with Ukrainian President V. Zelensky, I gained a clear impression that the Ukrainian side has no interest in resuming the transit of oil through Ukrainian territory.

SLOVAKIA’S INTERESTS COME FIRST Today I spoke by phone with Hungarian Prime Minister @PM_ViktorOrban , and later I will also speak with Ukrainian President Zelensky. The topic is the transit of oil through the Druzhba pipeline, which concerns Slovakia and Hungary. We have information that the pipeline is functioning from a technical standpoint. However, the Ukrainian side claims the opposite and continues to postpone delivery deadlines. Therefore, we propose establishing a joint inspection group – Slovakia, Hungary, and the European Commission – to verify on site what the truth is. I want to make it clear: The oil purchased by Slovnaft is already at the Belarusian-Ukrainian border and is ours. Under EU agreements, we have an exemption from sanctions. This is not “Russian oil” – it is our right to receive a delivery that we have secured and paid for. The national interests of Slovakia and Hungary cannot be pushed aside. If solidarity within the EU is to be mutual, it must apply to everyone. Slovakia has the right to its energy security, to respect for contracts, and to fair treatment. After my conversation with President Zelensky, I will inform you about its outcome and Ukraine’s position.

STATEMENT OF THE PRIME MINISTER OF THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC 🇸🇰 I have fulfilled what I declared on Saturday: “If oil supplies to Slovakia are not restored by Monday, I will ask SEPS, the state-owned joint-stock company, to halt emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine. In January 2026 alone, these emergency deliveries needed to stabilize the Ukrainian energy grid were twice as high as for the entire year 2025.”

IF THE UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT DOES NOT RESUME OIL SUPPLIES TO SLOVAKIA ON MONDAY, ON THAT SAME DAY I WILL ASK THE RELEVANT SLOVAK COMPANIES TO STOP EMERGENCY ELECTRICITY SUPPLIES TO UKRAINE. Since the beginning of the war, Slovakia has been helping Ukraine. Around 180,000 Ukrainians are currently on our territory, we provide humanitarian assistance, and we organize joint government meetings. We are doing substantially more for Ukraine than some other countries. The Ukrainian president refuses to understand our peace-oriented approach and, because we do not support the war, he is behaving maliciously toward Slovakia. First, he halted gas flows to Slovakia, causing us damages of €500 million per year. Now he has stopped oil flows, causing us further losses and logistical difficulties. If the West does not mind that the Nord Stream gas pipeline was blown up, Slovakia cannot accept Slovak-Ukrainian relations as a one-way ticket benefiting only Ukraine. Slovakia is a proud and sovereign country, and I am a proud and sovereign Slovak. If oil supplies to Slovakia are not resumed on Monday, I will ask SEPS, the state-owned joint-stock company, to stop emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine. In January 2026 alone, these emergency supplies, needed to stabilize the Ukrainian energy grid, were required twice as much as during the entire year of 2025. Given President Zelensky’s unacceptable behavior toward Slovakia, treating it as a hostile country, I consider it absolutely correct that I refused to involve the Slovak Republic in the latest €90 billion military loan for Ukraine.

If Zelensky thinks that blackmailing Slovakia with oil will bring Ukraine closer to the EU, he is sadly mistaken.

FAIRNESS, FRIENDSHIP, SUPPORT 🇸🇰🤝🏻🇷🇸 Today, I had the honor of attending an event marking the Statehood Day of the Republic of Serbia. On behalf of the Slovak government, I extended my warm congratulation on this important holiday and thanked them for the friendship that unites our nations. I am convinced that there is a strong bond between Slovaks and Serbs – historical, cultural, and one of values. We are both Slavic nations and we must not forget what unites us. We have our own experiences, our own courage, our own pride. And it is precisely these values that shape us today. Slavic culture, its common sense and experience can help Europe more than anyone could imagine. Serbia has my sincere respect. I support its path to the European Union and I am convinced that if the country meets the conditions, it must be given a fair chance. Slovakia will stand by Serbia as a reliable partner and friend. Serbia deserves EU membership and is well prepared for it. The Slovak government rejects the discrimination against Serbia in its accession to the EU, which is obvious on the part of EU institutions and some member states. We also wish Serbian President A. Vučić @avucic all the best and much wisdom in getting the Serbian nation to where it belongs. To the most developed Europe. Thank you for the warm welcome and for the respect Serbia has been showing the Slovak minority. Long live the Slovak Republic. Long live Serbia. Long live freedom.

THE WORLD IS CHANGING, AND IT IS ONLY A GOOD THING THAT SLOVAKIA IS ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THESE CHANGES.

SLOVAKIA, THE CZECH REPUBLIC AND AUSTRIA TOGETHER 🤝🏻 Central Europe is the voice of reason in the EU, which is why we are jointly calling for action on energy prices as a key condition for economic growth and competitiveness.

A GREAT, LENGTHY MEETING AT THE ÉLYSÉE PALACE

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSIONER FOR ENERGY IS MAKING A MOCKERY OF US For what he said about the EU’s dependence on imports of liquefied natural gas from the United States, he should be immediately dismissed from his position.

I STRONGLY REJECT THE LIES OF THE HATEFUL, PRO-BRUSSELS LIBERAL PORTAL POLITICO. It is a sad look at the liberal and progressive political and media world. The abuse of criminal law to destroy opponents, the rejection of different opinions, boundless media lies, and attempts to assassinate political leaders in Slovakia and the US. Only yesterday, I had to reject the lies of the new liberal pro-Brussels Hungarian star P. Magyar. Less than 24 hours later, I must emphatically reject the lies of the POLITICO portal about how I assessed my meeting with US President D. Trump at an informal summit in Brussels. No one heard anything, no one saw anything, there are no witnesses, but nothing prevented the POLITICO portal from coming up with lies. It is well known that I am one of the "favourites" of this portal, where sovereignty, the fight for national interests, and one's own opinion are considered crimes. So 1. I did not speak at the informal summit in Brussels, as any other prime ministers. For example, not a single one from the V4. I openly criticized this summit, its preparation, and its convening. At the summit, I did not speak informally with any prime minister or president about my visit to the US. 2. There was a persistent effort to foil my visit to the U.S., as was the case with my visit to Russia, where some EU member states did not even allow me to fly over their territory! That's what you call solidarity. 3. I agree with many strategies of the US president, but with some I don’t. I honestly expected that after my sharp statement on Venezuela, my visit to the US would be cancelled. This did not happen, which makes me appreciate the meeting with the U.S. president all the more. 4. POLITICO's goal is only to destroy the constructive relationships that Slovakia has with all four corners of the world. This also affects the Slovak Republic's interest in diversifying its peace nuclear program and cooperating with the US. 5. If I need to express a critical opinion, I don't need any bullhorns to do so. Perhaps the example of my proposal on the necessity of replacing K. Kallas is sufficient.

Back in Bratislava after Brussels and Paris 🛬🇸🇰

THE SAME RULE APPLIES TO THE EU AS TO A MASSAGE PARLOR: IF IT DOESN’T WORK, IT’S NOT ENOUGH TO CHANGE THE BEDS — YOU HAVE TO CHANGE THE STAFF.