Due to attacks on "Druzhba", Ukraine may be left without fuel from Slovakia, - Foreign Minister Blanár
Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár said that the Ukrainian Armed Forces' strikes on the "Druzhba" oil pipeline are not only contrary to Slovakia's interests but also do not benefit Ukraine.
This was reported by TVnoviny, according to Censor.NET.
The minister noted that the Slovak oil refinery Slovnaft, which produces various products from Russian oil, is currently a major supplier of diesel fuel to Ukraine. The facility provides 10% of the country's consumption.
Blanár said that he discussed this issue with his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha, who took note of this information.
"We understand that Ukraine is facing difficulties, but this infrastructure is very important to us, especially when we see that Ukraine is harming its own interests by risking running out of fuel. It is in our national interest to protect these supplies, and that is why we are also communicating openly with the Ukrainian side," said the Slovak minister.
Blanar recalled that in a statement following the European Council meeting in January this year, the European Union determined that the integrity of the EU's energy infrastructure is indivisible. For its part, the European Commission is prepared to take action in the event of non-compliance.
"With my statements today, I do not want to exacerbate the situation in any way. First and foremost, I call for a pragmatic approach... We need to protect our interests," said the Slovak Foreign Minister.
It should be noted that Slovnaft is an oil refinery that operates mainly on Russian oil. The raw materials are supplied via the "Druzhba" oil pipeline.
As a reminder, on the evening of 21 August, the 14th Regiment of Unmanned Systems Forces struck the "Unecha" oil pumping station in Russia.
On 13 August, the "Unecha" oil pumping station in the Bryansk region had already been attacked by drones.
As a reminder, on the morning of 18 August, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó accused Ukraine of "striking" the oil pipeline. In turn, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha responded to this.
Later, Hungary said that the "Druzhba" Russian oil pipeline had resumed operations.
