Ukraine's power company says end to Slovak electricity supplies to have no effect on system

Ukraine's national power company ​said on Monday that any ​refusal by Slovakia ‌to extend ​emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine on demand would have no effect on the country's ‌power system. "The likely halt to emergency electricity supply from Slovakia will in no way affect the situation in Ukraine's unified power ‌system," Ukrenergo said in a statement. Slovak Prime Minister Robert ‌Fico said on Monday his country's power grid operator would refuse any Ukrainian requests for emergency supplies until oil flows resume via the Druzhba pipeline, ⁠which ​runs from ⁠Russia through Ukraine to Central Europe.

Ukrenergo said Ukraine had last sought emergency ⁠supplies from Slovakia more than a month ago and in small ​volumes. "In general, emergency assistance from Slovakia has been a rare ⁠occurrence. At issue are short-term supplies," it said. Shipments of Russian oil ⁠to ​Hungary and Slovakia via the Druzhba have been cut off since January 27, when Kyiv said a Russian drone ⁠strike hit pipeline equipment in Western Ukraine.

Fico made his announcement ⁠as European ⁠ministers were unable to persuade Slovakia and its neighbour Hungary to drop threats of retaliatory action ‌against Ukraine ‌for delays in resuming flows. (Reporting ​by Ron Popeski)