The Slovak government approved the termination of a contract for emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine. State-owned transmission system operator SEPS must end its agreement with Ukrenergo on the instruction of the finance minister.
Denník N reported the decision, citing the Slovak government and SEPS leadership.
Details
The government instructed Finance Minister Ladislav Kamenický to initiate the termination of the contract between SEPS and Ukrenergo. The Finance Ministry serves as the sole shareholder of the transmission system operator. Authorities expect completion by March 5.
SEPS CEO Martin Magat said Slovakia last supplied emergency electricity to Ukraine in January. He claimed that Kyiv later requested additional emergency supplies after the restriction took effect, but SEPS did not approve those requests. However, Denník N noted that the overall situation has not changed in practice.
Prime Minister Robert Fico initiated the move after damage halted flows through the Druzhba oil pipeline following Russian strikes.
Ukrenergo stated that a potential halt in Slovak emergency assistance would not significantly affect Ukraine’s power grid because the volumes involved remained limited.
Meanwhile, the Hungarian government said it is also considering suspending electricity and gas exports to Ukraine. This would happen if transit of Russian oil through Druzhba does not resume.
Context
The Druzhba pipeline sustained damage from Russian strikes on infrastructure in the Lviv region. Afterward, Budapest and Bratislava warned they might cut electricity and diesel fuel supplies to Ukraine if Russian oil transit does not resume.
Ukraine proposed an alternative route via the Odessa–Brody pipeline, but the Druzhba issue remains a source of political tension between Kyiv and certain EU countries.
Earlier, The Ukrainian Review reported that Viktor Orban claimed a supposed “Ukrainian threat” to Hungary’s energy system and ordered troops to guard energy infrastructure facilities.
