Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer) during the 21st anniversary celebration of the Day of Sovereignty of the Slovak Republic on Saturday, 12 July 2025, in Stará Bystrica. (source: TASR)
“I am ready to continue blocking sanctions against the Russian Federation – even at the cost of a major crisis within the European Union. I say this with full seriousness,” Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico declared on July 12.
His message was clear: unless Brussels offers concrete guarantees for Slovakia’s energy security beyond 2028, he will not support the EU’s next sanctions package against Moscow.
Despite receiving proposed safeguards from the European Commission, Fico continues to stall the bloc’s 18th sanctions package, insisting it must be tied to binding commitments on future gas supplies. His stance has frustrated Brussels and left Slovakia increasingly isolated within the EU.
Fico’s refusal has plunged the EU into another diplomatic standoff. Multiple rounds of negotiations and concessions from the Commission have failed to sway him, with European leaders growing impatient with what they see as obstructionist tactics.
Although a final vote on the sanctions package has yet to take place, its adoption – originally planned for the July 15 meeting of EU foreign ministers – has been delayed at Slovakia’s request. Talks failed on Wednesday, July 16, with no clear sign of a breakthrough and were instead followed by Fico’s letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
“A vote on the 18th package may take place only after a substantial part of the risks related to REPowerEU [the EU’s plan to reduce dependence on Russian fossil fuels and accelerate the green energy transition] and gas supply from 2028 onwards has been resolved,” Fico wrote in the letter dated July 16, adding that the proposed guarantees are “insufficiently specific”.
