Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico will support EU sanctions against Russia if Slovakia's requests are met at the European Council.

The Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico announced that he will support the 19th package of European Union sanctions against Russia, provided that Slovakia's requests are met at the European Council in Brussels. Slovakia previously opposed signing this package, demanding measures to address the impact of climate goals on the automotive industry and to combat high energy prices.

Fico emphasized that the new sanctions affect Europe more than Russia and mentioned his meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Despite opposition to the sanctions, Slovakia continues to import energy from Russia, believing that alternatives would be costly. The Prime Minister will discuss energy and the automotive sector with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz before the summit. The proposed sanctions package includes a ban on imports of liquefied natural gas from Russia and an extension of sanctions on Russian energy companies.