Slovakia and Hungary have signaled that they will resist pressures exerted by US President Donald Trump to reduce imports of Russian oil and gas until the European Union member states find sufficient alternative sources.
„Before we can fully commit, we need to have the right conditions – otherwise, we risk seriously affecting our industry and economy,” said Slovak Economy Minister Denisa Sakova, as reported by Bloomberg.
She stated that first, there must be sufficient infrastructure to support alternative routes. These comments are equivalent to a rejection of the new pressures from Trump for all EU states to end imports of Russian energy, a move that would affect Slovakia and Hungary.
In turn, Gergely Gulyas, the Chief of Staff to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, reiterated that his country will reject EU initiatives that threaten Hungary's energy supply security.
Sakova clarified that she clearly expressed Slovakia's position during recent discussions in Vienna with US Energy Secretary Chris Wright. She said that the American official acknowledged his understanding, while also recognizing that the US needs to boost energy projects in Europe.
At the end of last week, Trump stated that he is prepared to impose 'significant' sanctions on Russian oil if European countries do the same. The government in Bratislava is ready to cut off its energy ties with Russia if it benefits from sufficient infrastructure to transport the necessary energy quantities, Sakova said.
"If we have an alternative route and sufficient transport capacity, Slovakia has no problem diversifying," the Slovak minister said. A complete interruption of supplies from Russia would pose a risk, Sakova emphasized, as Slovakia is right at the end of alternative supply routes coming from the West.
Slovakia and Hungary, landlocked nations bordering Ukraine, have historically depended on Russian oil and gas. Following Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, both have launched several diversification initiatives.
Slovakia imports about a third of its needed oil from non-Russian sources through the Adria pipeline, which crosses the Balkans and Hungary, and has also concluded a series of flexible contracts with Western gas suppliers. However, officials around Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who has maintained ties with the Kremlin and visited Moscow, consider Russian deliveries strategically important.
Similarly, Hungary considers EU sanctions against Russia ineffective and will continue to block measures that threaten its deliveries, Gulyas stated at a press conference in Budapest.
"When this goes against Hungary's interests, such as in the case of energy acquisitions, then we will oppose it through a veto," said Gulyas.