Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said he would block the 20th package of sanctions against Russia if the EU forces Ukraine to resume supplies of Russian oil through the Druzhba oil pipeline.
This is reported by Ta3 with reference to Fico's video address.
He criticized the European Commission and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for stopping the transit of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline.
According to Fico, the Ukrainian president stopped the flow of oil on the grounds that the pipeline was damaged, but has not yet let anyone in.
“After stopping gas transit, this is Zelensky's second openly hostile and economically harmful step against Slovakia. The European Commission has done nothing to force the President of Ukraine to do anything,” the Prime Minister said.
He also criticized the EC for “double standards” because it puts Ukraine's interests above the interests of European Union countries.
According to Fico, while Slovakia received a “letter of threats” from Brussels for measures to protect the internal fuel market, Zelensky received “letters full of love and understanding.”
“If the EC intends to continue acting like this and prioritize Ukraine over Slovakia, it should forget about supporting the 20th package of sanctions against the Russian Federation or our assistance in Ukraine's rapid accession to the EU,” he said.
What is known about the 20th package of EU sanctions against Russia?
On February 6, the European Commission proposed a 20th package of sanctions against Russia, targeting its energy, banking, and trade sectors. The new restrictions are expected to further reduce Russia's oil revenues and make it harder to circumvent sanctions through a shadow fleet and cryptocurrencies.
In the energy sector, a complete ban on maritime services for the transport of Russian crude oil is proposed. This is expected to reduce Russia's energy revenues and make it more difficult to find buyers. The ban is planned to be implemented together with partners after a corresponding decision by the G7.
The EU is also expanding sanctions against the shadow fleet: 43 more vessels are being added to the list – a total of 640 ships will be subject to restrictions. Separately, a complete ban on maintenance and other services for LNG tankers and icebreakers is being introduced, which should hit Russian gas export projects and supplement the already existing restrictions on the import of liquefied gas.
The second set of measures concerns Russia's financial system. It is planned to add another 20 regional banks to the sanctions list, as well as restrict the use of cryptocurrencies, platforms and companies that help circumvent sanctions. Banks of third countries that facilitate trade in sanctioned goods may also be subject to restrictions.