Brussels, 27/02/2026 (Agence Europe) – Following a telephone conversation with the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, the Slovak Prime Minister, Robert Fico, explained that he had proposed setting up an inspection mission made up of experts appointed by the European Commission and the Member States, in light of the damage to the Druzhba oil pipeline in Ukraine following Russian air strikes (see EUROPE 13817/10). This mission “would directly determine on site the actual state of technological damage to the pipeline or its ability to continue oil transit to the territory of the Slovak Republic”, said Mr Fico on X. Along with his Hungarian counterpart, Viktor Orbán, the Slovak prime minister is calling for immediate repairs to the infrastructure, which would enable him to bring Russian oil to their country. The two countries are making their support for the 20th package of sanctions against Russia and the new loan to Ukraine conditional upon the resumption of oil transit. (PLD)