Ruptly
"Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico from Bratislava on Wednesday announced his government is closely monitoring the Druzhba oil pipeline situation and expressed concerns over the €90 billion loan for Ukraine approved by the EU. "It is a war loan, because out of those 90 billion, 60 billion will be used for purchasing weapons for Ukraine and 30 for Ukraine's needs," he warned. "The Government of the Slovak Republic did not agree with this loan and we are not participating in it." Fico added the EU approved the loan 'in a legal manner' following reported repairing of the Druzhba pipeline. Addressing the Slovak public, the prime minister reiterated that his government did not agree with the loan, similar to Hungary and the Czech Republic. "The trust between Slovakia and Ukraine is severely disrupted and damaged when it comes to the ability to fulfil promises that someone is making," he noted. "I don't know how the European Union will behave if the loan is unblocked and in a few days it stops flowing through the Druzhba pipeline." On the same day, Slovak Economy Minister Denisa Sakova said that crude oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline from Ukraine to Slovakia were expected to resume early on Thursday. Earlier on Tuesday Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on the European Union to release the 90-billion-euro loan claiming Druzhba oil pipeline repair works were now complete. The pipeline row between Ukraine and Hungary - and Slovakia - saw outgoing Hungarian PM Viktor Orban block the loan. Both Eastern EU countries accused Ukraine of stopping supplies of oil from Russia for political reasons - while Kiev claimed it was damaged in a 'Russian strike'."
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