Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS) has called on Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico not to block the 18th package of Russian sanctions being prepared at the EU level, in a letter made available to CTK.
Fiala said supporting Ukraine was important not only for the sake of Ukrainian civilians facing increasingly heavy Russian bombardment, but also because of their shared history and painful experience of Moscow’s aggressive policies and occupation. Asked by CTK, Fiala confirmed that he had addressed Fico by letter on Saturday.
Slovakia, which has long received gas from Russia, has made its agreement to the EU’s 18th package of sanctions against Moscow conditional on resolving its concerns about future gas supplies. The unanimous consent of the bloc’s member states is needed to approve the sanctions.
Fico said on Saturday that Slovakia wants an agreement with the European Union by Tuesday on Bratislava’s demands over the European Commission’s plan to phase out Russian gas imports to the EU by the end of 2027. If Slovakia gets minimum guarantees on the issue, the EU will be able to proceed to a vote on a new sanctions package, he added.
Fiala said in the letter that during a video conference with Western leaders and at an international conference on Ukraine’s reconstruction in Rome this week, it was clear that Slovakia was becoming increasingly isolated by blocking the sanctions package. He asked Fico and his government to unblock the situation.
“After all, we have a common interest in ensuring the security of our countries and our citizens. The cooperation of states within the EU and NATO is an essential condition for this,” he noted.
When asked by CTK, Fiala confirmed the sending of the letter. “Given the extremely close relations between our countries, I asked him to make Slovakia reconsider its position on the 18th sanctions package and to contribute to maintaining the unity and determination with which the democratic world is facing Russian aggression. I trust that Slovakia, as our closest partner in the region, will take into account its responsibility towards the common European values of freedom, security and solidarity,” he said.
As a result of Slovakia’s position, the EU has repeatedly postponed voting on the 18th set of sanctions. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in a speech at the Ukraine conference on Thursday that the consent of just one single EU member state was needed to approve new sanctions, and he urged Fico not to block the new sanctions any longer.
