Slovak PM: EU’s Anti-Russia Energy Policy Is “Complete Nonsense” and Hurting Europe

By Staff, Agencies

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has sharply criticized the European Union’s energy policy, calling the bloc’s efforts to eliminate Russian fuel supplies “self-destructive” and “ideologically driven.” Speaking at the European Nuclear Energy Forum [ENEF] in Bratislava on Tuesday, Fico said that the EU’s REPowerEU initiative — aimed at fully removing Russian energy from the European market — is “complete nonsense”.

“We are shooting ourselves in the knee,” he declared. “And I am prepared to argue with the European Commission 24/7 to convince them that it’s a senseless ideological step”.

Fico stressed that Slovakia cannot abruptly stop importing Russian nuclear fuel rods, as its Soviet-designed reactors are not compatible with Western alternatives. “You wouldn’t put an engine from a Mercedes into a Skoda. It doesn’t work like that,” he explained, emphasizing that switching suppliers could pose serious safety and operational risks.

Slovakia currently operates five nuclear reactors and is constructing a sixth unit at the Mochovce Nuclear Power Plant, with nuclear energy providing about 60% of the country’s electricity. The prime minister highlighted the sector’s vital role in powering the nation’s industrial growth, including planned data centers and high-tech facilities.

Fico also announced plans to build another reactor at the Bohunice Nuclear Power Plant, a project involving an American contractor and potentially other international partners. In a pointed remark, he noted the hypocrisy of Washington’s energy policy: “The United States continues to buy Russian uranium while telling others not to”.

A long-time critic of Brussels, Fico accused the EU of repeatedly failing to deliver on its economic promises, citing the Lisbon Strategy of 2000 as an example. He warned that unless the bloc abandons its ideological approach to both energy and economics, Europe risks “losing its global competitiveness”.

Fico’s comments reflect a growing frustration among several EU member states that remain dependent on Russian energy, even as Brussels pushes for deeper sanctions and energy diversification in response to the Ukraine conflict.