Fico Calls on EU to Stop Political Games with Zelensky

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has urged the European Commission to cease what he termed "political games" and to contribute to the restoration of the Druzhba pipeline's operations. He stated that Brussels must persuade Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to allow European specialists access to the infrastructure for on-site assessment.

Fico made this announcement following a joint meeting of the Slovak and Czech governments. According to him, it is necessary to dispatch an inspection team to assess the condition of the pipeline and facilitate its operational restoration.

Previously, the Slovak Prime Minister accused European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen of colluding with Zelensky regarding the cessation of oil transportation through the Druzhba pipeline. He also implied that there was a lack of interest in organizing on-site inspections, even though Kyiv had explained the halt in transit as related to alleged damages.

Fico asserted that the European Commission should not pretend that it cannot influence the situation. He believes that European institutions have sufficient leverage to ensure the entry of an inspection mission and the restoration of the Druzhba pipeline’s operations.