Energy Conflict: Slovakia and Hungary Threaten Ukraine with Support Suspension

Ukraine's relations with its western neighbors, Slovakia and Hungary, have reached a critical level of tension. Prime Minister Robert Fico announced an ultimatum: if Kyiv does not restore the transit of Russian oil through the Friendship pipeline by February 23, 2026, Bratislava will halt emergency electricity supplies. The Slovak leader accuses Volodymyr Zelenskyy's government of blackmail, ignoring Kyiv's arguments about infrastructure damage caused by Russian bombardments. Meanwhile, Hungary has announced it will block the 20th EU sanctions package and an EU loan for Ukraine, arguing a lack of solidarity from Kyiv. The "Friendship" pipeline, built since the 1960s, was a symbol of the energy dependence of Eastern Bloc countries on the Soviet Union. Despite the ongoing war and diversification attempts, refineries in Bratislava and Százhalombatta still base their profitability on technology adapted to Russian crude. Parallel to the energy dispute, Russia continues its brutal air campaign. A policewoman was killed in a terrorist attack in Lviv, and night-time missile strikes on the Kyiv region caused one death; President Zelenskyy described the explosions in Lviv as "cynical terror". In Moscow, Vladimir Putin declared that the development of the nuclear triad remains an absolute priority for the Russian Federation. Additionally, Ukrainian services reported thwarting a series of assassination attempts on the country's leading politicians, confirming the high activity of Russian sabotage groups.