An EU country criticized Ukraine, declared that it did not want to be a hostage in the conflict, Moscow increased good cooperation with Latin American countries.

On July 20, Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico spoke by phone and criticized his Ukrainian counterpart Denys Shmyhal about Russia's suspension of oil supplies due to Kiev's sanctions.

Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico. (Source: Reuters)

This past week, Slovakia and Hungary announced that they would no longer receive oil from Russia's Lukoil company due to Ukraine's sanctions against the company.

During the phone call, Prime Minister Fico criticized Kiev for including Lukoil in the sanctions list, as the company's oil is also supplied to Slovakia's Slovnaft refinery. According to him, this is a meaningless sanction that does not harm Russia but mainly harms a number of European Union (EU) member states.

In a statement after the phone call, the Slovak Government Office said Prime Minister Fico stressed: “Slovakia has no intention of becoming a hostage in Ukraine-Russia relations and the decision of the Ukrainian President means that the Slovak refinery Slovnaft, part of the Hungarian MOL group, will receive 40% less oil to process than it needs. This will have an impact not only on the Slovak market but could also lead to the suspension of diesel supplies produced by Slovnaft to Ukraine, which accounts for almost a tenth of Ukraine’s total consumption.”

According to the Slovak Government Office, Prime Minister Fico has contacted relevant members of his cabinet and representatives of the Hungarian petrochemical group MOL on this issue.

Earlier on July 18, the Slovakian Ministry of Economy confirmed that oil from Russia's Lukoil company had stopped flowing to Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline through Ukraine. The southern branch of the Druzhba pipeline leads through Ukraine to Slovakia, Hungary and the Czech Republic. The main Russian oil exporters via this pipeline system are Rosneft, Lukoil and Tatneft.

However, according to Transpetrol, Russian oil deliveries to Slovakia have not been stopped, the disruption only concerns deliveries from Lukoil. However, supplies of Russian Urals oil to Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline have been significantly lower than expected.

Prime Minister Fico has long been critical of sanctions against Russia aimed at forcing Moscow to withdraw its troops from Ukraine. After returning to power for a fourth time late last year, he announced a halt to Slovakia’s military aid to Ukraine.

State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin met with Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Nicaragua for Russian Affairs Laureano Facundo Ortega Murillo in Managua, July 20. (Source: Duma.gov.ru)

Meanwhile, while Europe is still divided over sanctions against Russia, at a meeting with Russian State Duma (Lower House) Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin on July 20, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega called Western sanctions imposed on Russia a crime.

According to Mr. Ortega, the impact of sanctions is felt all over the world; these restrictions also weaken those who initiate them. “They (those who initiate sanctions) do not understand that their criminal actions in the economic and financial sphere weaken not only themselves but the whole world,” President Ortega explained.

For his part, President Volodin assessed: “The relations between Russia and Nicaragua, based on the traditions of good friendship and mutual respect, are developing dynamically in the spirit of strategic partnership.” He added that Nicaragua is an important partner of Russia in Latin America.

State Duma Chairman Volodin is visiting Nicaragua to attend, on behalf of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the 45th anniversary of the uprising of the ruling Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN).

Chairman of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin met with Chairman of the National Assembly of People's Power and the Council of State of Cuba Juan Esteban Lazo Hernández within the framework of the events of the First International Parliamentary Conference "Russia-Latin America", September 30, 2023. (Source: Duma.gov.ru)

On the same day, Mr. Vyacheslav Volodin began an official visit to Cuba to strengthen the historical, strategic and good relations between Cuba and Russia, especially between the two Parliaments.

At the meeting with Mr. Vyacheslav Volodin, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel assessed the visit as a testament to the excellent relationship that has united the two countries in the fields of politics, economy and trade.

For his part, the Chairman of the Russian State Duma conveyed greetings from President Vladimir Putin to General Raúl Castro Ruz and President Miguel Díaz-Canel and expressed his wish to continue strengthening relations between the two countries.

According to the program of the visit, Mr. Vyacheslav Volodin will meet with Cuban officials, including the President of the National Assembly of People's Power of Cuba and the Council of State, Esteban Lazo Hernández. The two parliamentary leaders will review the actions of the Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Commission between the State Duma and the National Assembly of Cuba in the first half of 2024.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/mot-nuoc-eu-len-tieng-chi-trich-ukraine-tuyen-bo-khong-muon-lam-lam-tin-trong-xung-dot-moscow-tang-cuong-hop-tac-tot-dep-voi-cac-nuoc-my-latinh-279510.html