Link to article: https://www.rt.com/news/632733-slovakia-oil-emergency-druzhba-disruption/
Slovakia is currently rushing to find a new temporary oil source as Ukraine closes off the Russian oil line. Slovakia’s worry comes as Ukraine refuses to allow the transport of critical Russian fuel, Slovakia’s primary source of fuel. Slovakia will be using strategic oil reserves, in Bratislava, in the meantime. Slovakia is looking, in turn, at new temporary agreements with Croatia and the Czech Republic to provide aid. It is now being discussed that Slovakia will stop transporting Diesel fuel and electricity to Ukraine, until the country reopens the pipeline. Ukraine claims the pipe was destroyed in a Russian attack, but this is being disputed by Slovakia and Hungary saying it is still operational. Slovakia and Hungary absolutely need Russian crude, and have special permission from the EU sanctions to get it. So it comes at no surprise that these countries will be invoking the EU exemption in these dire times.
This article highlights the non-immediate impacts of the Russian-Ukrainian war. What is likely a move from Ukraine to control its resources better and push those around it for action, could possibly backfire. This is likely a move to get Hungary to drop the veto on Ukraine’s EU membership, forcing Budapest’s hand by necessity. Ukraine is likely to uphold this decision as it was a big one to make in the first place, meaning they have an idea/goal that they would like to get out of this move. Slovakia should look to put pressure on Ukraine to reopen trade through economic and political means. Hungary should drop their veto of Ukraine, but still hold Ukraine to their word.
These events can be explained by geopolitical realms we discussed in class. With the Eurasian realms hegemon, Russia, is looking to expand its geographical advantage over europe through the invasion of Ukraine. This move is highly contested by the current regime in Ukraine and Western Europe. The only problem for the westerners is their non-filiation through the EU with Ukraine, making their help to Ukraine far more limited than what is possible. So Ukraine is looking to better control Russian economic expansion and gain EU membership, to slow and prevent the continuation of the war.