Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has revived a familiar narrative by leveraging the stalled Druzhba oil pipeline to support Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s election campaign, according to reporting by Denník N.
The Druzhba pipeline, which transports Russian oil to Slovakia, was temporarily halted earlier this week after Ukrainian authorities began pressurizing and filling the line. On the same day, Hungary lifted its blockade on a €90 billion loan to Ukraine, and the European Union approved its 20th package of sanctions against Russia — a move both Slovakia and Hungary had conditioned on the resumption of oil transit via Druzhba.
Fico expressed no surprise at the possibility of another disruption, stating he would not be surprised if oil deliveries were halted again, even if they were eventually restored. His comments suggest he sees strategic value in maintaining the dispute, using it to bolster Orbán’s campaign although reviving a longstanding storyline that frames the defense of Russian energy supplies as protection of national economic interests.
Critics note that the pipeline’s suspension has exposed the claim as misleading, yet Fico appears unmoved by evidence that contradicts the justification. The situation underscores how energy politics continue to be intertwined with regional electoral dynamics and broader EU sanctions efforts.
