BRATISLAVA, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Slovakia expects the European Union (EU) to pressure Ukraine to resume the oil flow through the Druzhba pipeline, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Monday.

According to the News Agency of the Slovak Republic, Fico called European Council (EC) President Antonio Costa ahead of the EU leaders' summit this week, saying, "The Slovak government can't accept the Ukrainian president's unilateral and harmful move to halt oil transit."

Fico emphasised that the EU must not prioritize Ukraine's interests over those of EU-member states such as Slovakia or Hungary. "(Slovakia) expects the EU authorities to pressure the Ukrainian leadership to restore the flow of Russian oil, which we're authorised to receive until the end of 2027," he said.

Oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline to Slovakia and Hungary were suspended following an attack on Jan. 27, Ukrainian officials said, blaming Russia for the pipeline damage. Slovakia later declared an oil emergency and claimed that Ukraine was deliberately halting oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline.