Slovakia is pushing for concrete assurances regarding its energy needs before agreeing to support the European Union’s latest sanctions package targeting Russia, Prime Minister Robert Fico said, according to Bloomberg. He indicated that Bratislava expects to receive firm guarantees by early next week.
The new EU sanctions proposal, which aims to eliminate all Russian energy imports by 2027 under the RePowerEU plan, has sparked resistance from Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, and reportedly Italy. The European Commission is seeking to introduce the plan as trade legislation, allowing it to pass with a majority vote and sidestep vetoes.
“We want this resolved by Tuesday because pressure is building from all directions,” Fico told the press on Saturday, making it clear that his government would not approve the measures unless Slovakia’s energy concerns are adequately addressed.
Fico has previously called the EU’s strategy “ideologically driven” and stressed that Slovakia requires more than just verbal commitments. He has demanded legally binding guarantees to safeguard the country’s energy stability and affordability in case Russian gas is cut off.
Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz has reportedly urged Fico to reconsider his stance, but the Slovak leader maintains that while he’s open to backing the sanctions—even if they have little effect on Russia’s military or economic standing—it will only happen if an agreement on gas security is reached.
Although Russian gas hasn’t been banned outright in prior sanctions, many EU countries have voluntarily reduced or phased out imports. However, landlocked states like Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, and the Czech Republic still depend on Russian energy through limited exemptions.
The EU’s proposed 18th round of sanctions includes sweeping new measures: banning future use of the damaged Nord Stream pipeline, targeting refined products made from Russian oil, and sanctioning dozens of vessels accused of helping Moscow bypass oil restrictions via a so-called “shadow fleet.”
Moscow has repeatedly criticized Western sanctions, particularly those focused on energy, as illegal and damaging to both sides. Russian officials argue that by turning away from Russian supplies, the EU has driven up its own energy prices and compromised economic competitiveness by resorting to costlier alternatives.
