Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban threatened on Friday to block the next rollover of EU sanctions against Russia unless Brussels helps achieve a restart of Russian gas transit via Ukraine, which was halted on Jan.

Ukraine is ready to consider the possibility of cooperating with European operators on gas transit to the EU, but it is the European Commission that must decide whether the European side needs such transit and whether it is ready to provide it.

Ukraine's foreign ministry summoned Slovakia's ambassador in Kyiv on Thursday to reject accusations that it is meddling in its neighbour's internal affairs and to accuse Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico of being a \"mouthpiece\" for Russia.

A diplomatic rift between Bratislava and Kiev has deepened over Ukraine's decision to cut off the transit of Russian gas through Slovakia and mutual accusations regarding energy policies. The Slovak Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday it summoned Ukrainian ambassador Myroslav Kastran to convey a "strong protest over statements made by Ukrainian officials.

Slovak Ambassador to Ukraine Pavel Vízdal was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after Bratislava’s claims of alleged Ukrainian interference in Slovakia’s affairs, according to Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry.