Kyiv condemns ‘blackmail’ by Hungary, Slovakia as energy standoff escalates

(Jones Hayden and Ben Munster – Politico) Ukraine condemned “ultimatums ⁠and blackmail” by the governments of Hungary and Slovakia on Saturday, after Budapest and Bratislava threatened to stop electricity supplies to Ukraine unless ⁠Kyiv restarts flows of ​Russian oil. Shipments of Russian oil to Hungary and ⁠Slovakia have been cut off since Jan. 27, when Kyiv says a ​Russian drone strike hit pipeline equipment in western Ukraine. Slovakia and Hungary accuse Ukraine of slow-walking the repairs for political purposes. Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Saturday that he would cut off emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine unless Kyiv resumes Russian oil transit to Slovakia ⁠over Ukrainian territory. Hungary’s Viktor Orbán made a similar threat days earlier. – Kyiv condemns ‘blackmail’ by Hungary, Slovakia as energy standoff escalates – POLITICO