Once again, there are no doubts we have binding contracts concluded. Do we have a claim to this oil? Ukraine has an obligation to transport this oil, and therefore, since all the information we have indicates that this pipeline is not breached or damaged and is capable of transporting oil, I consider the Ukrainian president's actions to be hostile towards the Slovak Republic.
Actions that damage us significantly in terms of logistics and cause us problems, especially at the Slovnaft company in securing other oil supplies from other parts of the world. Not to mention that we had to declare a state of oil emergency at the government level and are already drawing oil from the state material reserves.
We expect, of course, that the situation will stabilize after the tankers arrive, but I consider it very, very unreliable and hostile that the Ukrainian side gives us different dates every day. On the 23rd, we received a message that the oil would arrive. On the 25th of February, they gave us a message that it would be the 26th.
Most recently, it holds that no oil will arrive during February and that if it does, the earliest possible date is only around March 3rd. Well, the Ukrainian president probably assumes he can do whatever he wants. But I repeat, he is very much mistaken.
The first reciprocal measure has been taken and emergency electricity supplies have been halted. I hope you have read everything that was said thoroughly enough because those hurt them substantially more than some commercial electricity supplies that they can buy anywhere. However, if they have a power outage, they will damn well feel it when they cannot take electricity from Slovakia that stabilizes their energy grid. As such, we did exactly what we announced and promised. That is the first reciprocal measure that has been implemented. The government is prepared for further reciprocal measures if we see that there is an absolute lack of interest from the Ukrainian president to deliver to us what we have a right to, what we have purchased.
Not to mention that this is not Russian oil. Ladies and gentlemen, this is oil that belongs to Slovnaft, because Slovnaft buys this oil at the Belarusian-Ukrainian border, and Ukraine doesn't care. It sanctions Russian oil, but oil that is owned by the company Slovnaft, a joint stock company. We had a relatively serious discussion about this in the government today, and I see a whole list of other reciprocal measures that are naturally under consideration.
I also communicated today with our people in Brussels. I spoke yesterday with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the State Secretary about the course of negotiations, whether regarding the sanctions package or the veto from Hungary.
Regarding the 90 billion loan for Ukraine, ladies and gentlemen, Slovakia rejected this loan. As you well know, we exercised a so-called opt-out. We did not participate in this loan, but we said that if other countries want to pull some money together and provide a loan to Ukraine, we will not prevent them from doing so. However, no one told us that despite the fact that we can exercise an opt-out, meaning that we won't be part of it, which we aren't, and you can call me whatever kind of servant you like. Now, I am proud that Slovakia is not part of the military loan for Ukraine. I repeat, I am proud that my government supports peace and not war, because out of that 90 billion, 60 billion is supposed to go towards weapons and 30 billion towards the functioning of Ukraine as such.
So, we weren't told that yet another decision would need to be made, one that concerns the European Union budget. I won't burden you right now with where unanimity is required. That is why Hungary's veto is absolutely effective. I don't know what the European Commission is going to do about it. I will not comment for the time being on what will be the next measure taken by the government of the Slovak Republic.
But if Zelensky intends to insult Slovakia like this and harm us, because he damaged us with gas, now he has damaged us with oil without cause, because we helped him with everything he needed, then I guarantee you that I will accept without hesitation.
I will propose further measures at multiple levels concerning Slovak-Ukrainian relations. Slovakia is a sovereign country, and I will not allow anyone to toy with us like this. I am repeatedly notifying Mr. Zelensky: Slovakia is not Ukraine's servant. Slovakia is not Ukraine's servant, and we are not a country where he thinks he can just come, take, and command. It doesn't work that way. That is why I am sorry we have reached this state. But there is no reason, neither technical nor legal nor any other, for him to stop the oil flows and cause us the difficulties he has caused.
Internationally, the situation will develop very complicatedly, because I cannot quite imagine how they want to break this Hungarian veto regarding the unanimity required for the 90 billion loan.
By the way, neither Hungary nor the Czech Republic nor Slovakia, as I have already said, will participate in these loans, in this loan.
But this is a thousand times bigger problem than some 20th sanctions package, which is ridiculous. It is laughable. You know what? I'm already laughing about it. Not to mention that not only us, but if you look at Greece, Malta, Cyprus, they all have a huge problem with this package because it damages them economically. Please, what kind of sanctions against Russia are these that damage member states of the European Union? What kind of nonsense is that? However, this is how the European Union functions today.
To be precise, my colleague, this is the 13th date Ukraine has given us since that initial date. I believe it was the 28th of January. That was the moment when the oil stopped flowing. They have been pulling our leg 13 times. They say it will come the next day, and then they inform you that, I don't know, tomorrow 5,000 tons are supposed to arrive. The day after tomorrow it's supposed to be 14,000 tons, and then it will gradually increase. However, the next day they write you a message saying, 'No, that's not quite right. Tomorrow will be zero. The day after tomorrow will be zero, and then something will come.' I have absolutely no reason to believe that some March 3rd date is realistic.
I think Zelensky simply doesn't want to send any more oil. I think, I am convinced of it, that he simply wants to do this.
Furthermore, I think it is a game against Viktor Orbán. He wants to damage him before the elections, which are taking place in Budapest and all across Hungary in April. It is a dangerous game he has embarked on, because I don't know if President Zelensky realizes that for Ukraine's entry into the European Union, he will need the consent of all member states. We have reiterated very clearly that we believe in and wish for a European perspective for Ukraine. We stated that if Ukraine fulfills the conditions it is required to fulfill, then we are ready to support Ukraine and perhaps even share our experiences with them.
The problem is that someone in the European Union is figuring out how to bypass and cheat all of this. So suddenly you don't have to prepare for several years like Serbia or Montenegro. Serbia is being lied to from morning till night. Chapters are not being opened for Serbia even though they should have been opened long ago. What am I supposed to say about Albania? What is Serbia supposed to do? What is Montenegro supposed to say, which is carrying out reforms, difficult reforms to get into the European Union, and then Ukraine comes along totally corrupt.
The main argument President Zelensky uses regarding gas and oil is that by purchasing this oil and gas, we are helping the Russian Federation finance its military activities in Ukraine. This is Mr. Zelensky's main argument. Why doesn't it apply to France and others who are buying liquefied gas in such volumes that in 2025 the volume of liquefied gas purchased from the Russian Federation is significantly higher than it was in 2024?
Meaning during the war, during the escalation of the war, it's not that the share of gas Western states are buying from the Russian Federation is decreasing. It is rising.
Does the United States buy enriched uranium from Russia? Yes, they do. So how am I supposed to accept it from President Zelensky, who thinks he can do anything, but you Slovaks cannot, because by doing so, you are financing the Russian Federation?
I am not three years old, nor was I born yesterday. I know exactly what's going on. So under these circumstances, please, this is the most crucial argument that needs to be stated: we are pursuing our own interests.
