The pro-Kremlin government in Slovakia has threatened to kill existing Russia sanctions on top of Hungary’s veto of new measures, as the EU worries about securing funding for Ukraine for a 1 April deadline.

Slovakia has said it would block the rollover of the existing EU visa-bans and asset-freezes on 2,663 Russian individuals and entities due on 15 March, unless the EU first delists two Russian oligarchs, according to three EU diplomats speaking to EUobserver on Tuesday (10 March). 

The existing Russia sanctions are rolled over by consensus every six months.

The two Russian oligarchs which Bratislava wanted off the hook were Mikhail Fridman and Alisher Usmanov, diplomats said, corroborating a report by RFE/RFL. 

“Slovakia wants to delist some people and Hungary is supporting them,” said one EU contact. 

“Same procedure every time,” said a second EU diplomat, referring to Slovakia’s demands in previous Russia rollovers.

But the crisis is deeper this time, as the equally pro-Kremlin government in Hungary has already vetoed the incoming 20th round of Russia sanctions in the run up to Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán domestic re-election battle on 12 April.

His veto spoiled EU plans for the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. 

And Orbán shows every sign of seeking to escalate the clash ahead of the Hungarian election, instead of finding a solution. 

Orbán based his veto on accusations Ukraine was blocking Russian oil flows to Hungary and Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline.

And Slovak prime minister Robert Fico backed Orbán’s version of events when he met EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen at an energy event in Paris on Tuesday. 

“We agree that the Druzhba pipeline must be restored. If it is damaged — we maintain that it is not — it must be repaired,” Fico said.

“The commission also offers not only repair capacities, if necessary, but also financing for this repair project. I would like to stress again — if such repairs are needed at all,” he added.

Meanwhile, Orbán has also blocked a €90bn EU loan for Ukraine on the same pipeline grounds, which could cause a financial crisis in Kyiv on 1 April if the situation is not resolved. 

EU leaders are hoping to break his loan veto at the summit next week (19 March.)

“The European Council … welcomes the adoption of the loan by the co-legislators and looks forward to the first disbursement to Ukraine by the beginning of April,” said a draft summit communiqué from Monday seen by EUobserver.

The draft also said the EU was ready to start accession negotiations with Ukraine in detailed areas, called “clusters”, even though Hungary was against this. 

“The European Council invites the council to open the clusters without delay, starting with the fundamentals cluster,” the draft conclusions said.

But diplomats were less bullish on overcoming Orbán’s 20th-round veto in time for the summit as well. 

“The European Union remains determined to further increase pressure on Russia … [p.m. 20th sanctions package; listings under the Russia human rights regime],” the draft added.

The text in brackets and italics indicated items which might not be agreed.