Ultimatums should be sent to the Kremlin, not to Kyiv
On the 1,460th day of a war that has reshaped the European order, Ukraine found itself pressured not only by its declared enemy but by two members of its own alliance. Hungary and Slovakia, dependent on Soviet-era oil infrastructure, threatened to sever electricity supplies and block vital EU funding unless Kyiv restored Russian oil flows — a demand Ukraine's foreign ministry called blackmail. That same night, explosions tore through Lviv, killing a policewoman and wounding fifteen others, reminding the world that even cities far from the front remain within reach of violence. Against this backdrop, President Zelenskyy moved toward the negotiating table, signaling that the shape of peace may now be as urgent a question as the conduct of war.
- Hungary and Slovakia are wielding energy and EU funding as leverage against Ukraine, demanding the restoration of Russian oil flows through the Druzhba pipeline or threatening to cut electricity and block a €90 billion loan.
- Ukraine's foreign ministry rejected the demands as coercion and blackmail, insisting that pressure belongs on Moscow — not on a nation fighting for its survival — exposing a deepening fracture within the Western alliance itself.
- Terror struck Lviv just after midnight when two successive explosions targeted police responding to a routine call, killing one officer and wounding at least fifteen, some critically, in a city long considered a refuge from the front.
- Ukraine struck back hundreds of kilometers inside Russia, hitting the Votkinsk missile factory with domestically produced cruise missiles and targeting a gas plant in Samara, demonstrating a growing capacity to reach deep into Russian military-industrial territory.
- Zelenskyy signaled readiness for imminent peace talks, calling for a new round of negotiations 'as early as this February' and suggesting a direct three-way meeting with Trump and Putin could prove decisive in ending the conflict.
On the 1,460th day of the war, Ukraine faced a new kind of pressure — not from Russian artillery, but from within its own alliance. Hungary and Slovakia, both EU and NATO members, threatened to cut electricity supplies to Ukraine and block a €90 billion EU loan unless Kyiv restarted the flow of Russian crude oil halted since late January. The two countries depend on Russian oil carried through the aging Druzhba pipeline, a Soviet-era artery crossing Ukrainian territory. Ukraine attributed the stoppage to damage caused by a Russian drone strike in January; Hungary and Slovakia accused Kyiv of deliberately stalling repairs.
Ukraine's foreign ministry responded with rare sharpness, calling the threats "ultimatums and blackmail" and arguing that coercion should be directed at Moscow, not at a country defending itself. The standoff laid bare a fracture in the Western coalition, with Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico — long resistant to European consensus on Ukraine — accusing President Zelenskyy of acting maliciously toward his country.
That same night, violence reached Lviv. Just after midnight, two explosions struck the city center as police responded to a reported break-in. The blasts were timed to hit successive responding units. One policewoman was killed; at least fifteen others were wounded, some critically. Mayor Andriy Sadovy called it an act of terror, underscoring that even Ukraine's western cities, far from the front lines, remain exposed.
Ukraine also struck deep into Russian territory, confirming that domestically produced FP-5 "Flamingo" cruise missiles had hit the Votkinsk missile factory in the Udmurt Republic, wounding eleven people and prompting Russia to suspend flights at nearby airports. A gas plant in Samara was also targeted, signaling Ukraine's expanding reach into Russian military-industrial infrastructure.
Amid the fighting and internal alliance tensions, Zelenskyy moved toward diplomacy. Briefed on Geneva talks between Russian and American representatives, he called for a new round of negotiations to begin before the end of February and suggested that a direct meeting between himself, Trump, and Putin could prove decisive. In Paris, roughly 2,000 people marched in solidarity with Ukraine as the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion approached — a moment when the question of sustained Western resolve had become as consequential as anything happening on the battlefield.
On day 1,460 of the war, Ukraine found itself caught between two fronts: the grinding military conflict with Russia and a new form of pressure from within its own alliance. Hungary and Slovakia, both EU and NATO members, had begun wielding energy as a weapon, threatening to cut electricity supplies to Ukraine unless Kyiv restarted the flow of Russian oil that had been halted since late January. Hungary went further, threatening to block a €90 billion loan meant to support Ukraine's war effort. The two countries relied on Russian crude shipped through the aging Druzhba pipeline, a Soviet-era artery that still carried significant volumes across Ukrainian territory. When a Russian drone strike damaged pipeline equipment in western Ukraine on January 27, Kyiv said the damage was the reason for the stoppage. Hungary and Slovakia disagreed, accusing Ukraine of deliberately delaying repairs without offering evidence.
Ukraine's foreign ministry responded with sharp language, calling the threats "ultimatums and blackmail." In a statement, officials said the country rejected what it saw as coercion and argued that pressure should be directed at Moscow, not Kyiv. The dispute had become one of the most contentious between Ukraine and two neighbors whose leaders—particularly Slovakia's Robert Fico—had resisted the broader European consensus of support for Ukraine. Fico had accused President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of acting "maliciously" toward his country. The standoff illustrated a fracture within the Western alliance itself, with two member states using their leverage over energy infrastructure to extract concessions from a nation fighting for its survival.
That same night, terror struck the western city of Lviv. Just after midnight, explosions ripped through the city center as police responded to a report of a break-in at a shop. The first blast hit as the initial patrol arrived; a second followed moments later when a second crew reached the scene. One policewoman was killed. At least 15 others were wounded, some in critical condition. Mayor Andriy Sadovy called it an "act of terror," though the immediate circumstances remained unclear. The attack underscored the vulnerability of even cities far from the front lines, where civilians and first responders remained exposed to violence.
Meanwhile, Ukraine struck back deep inside Russian territory. The General Staff confirmed that Ukrainian-made FP-5 "Flamingo" cruise missiles had hit the Votkinsk missile factory in the Udmurt Republic, wounding 11 people according to Russian officials. Russia suspended flights at nearby airports in response. Ukraine also reported striking a gas plant in Samara. These operations, conducted hundreds of kilometers from the front, demonstrated Ukraine's expanding capacity to project force into Russian territory and target military-industrial infrastructure.
In the diplomatic sphere, Zelenskyy signaled a shift toward negotiation. After being briefed on peace talks held in Geneva that week involving Russian and American representatives, he called for another round of discussions to begin "very soon, as early as this February." He said Ukraine had prepared responses to difficult questions and wanted to raise certain issues at the leaders' level with Trump and Putin. The president suggested that a direct meeting between the three leaders could prove decisive. The statement marked a notable pivot toward engagement, even as the military conflict continued and pressure from supposed allies mounted.
In Paris, about 2,000 people marched in support of Ukraine, chanting slogans demanding that frozen Russian assets be confiscated and returned to Kyiv. European Parliament member Raphael Glucksmann acknowledged "massive" support for Ukraine among the French public, but warned that voices calling for capitulation were beginning to emerge from both the far left and far right of the French political spectrum. Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, one of Ukraine's earliest and most vocal supporters, told the BBC that Western nations should immediately deploy non-combat troops to Ukraine in peaceful regions to demonstrate commitment to Ukrainian independence. The comments came days before the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion, a moment when the question of sustained Western resolve had become as consequential as the fighting itself.
Notable Quotes
This is definitely an act of terror. We have 15 people currently receiving medical aid, some of them are in very serious condition. One policewoman died.— Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovy
Ukraine's responses to the most difficult questions ahead of the next meeting are ready, and it still wants to raise some issues at the leaders' level with Trump and Putin.— President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why would Hungary and Slovakia risk their standing in NATO and the EU by threatening Ukraine over oil?
Because they're betting that energy leverage matters more than political alignment. They need that Russian oil, and they're calculating that Brussels won't punish them hard enough to make it not worth the fight.
But Ukraine says the pipeline was damaged by Russian strikes. Why would Kyiv deliberately keep it shut?
That's the core of the dispute. Ukraine has no incentive to cut off its neighbors' energy in the middle of a war—it needs those countries as allies. But Hungary and Slovakia don't trust that explanation, or they're using it as cover for something else: pressure on Zelenskyy.
What does Zelenskyy get out of suddenly calling for peace talks?
He's signaling that Ukraine hasn't given up on diplomacy, that there's still a path to end this with some dignity intact. But it's also a move to show the West—and his own people—that he's not just grinding toward attrition forever.
Is the Lviv attack connected to the energy dispute or the peace talks?
Almost certainly not. It looks like a targeted operation, maybe a drone or a planted device. It's a reminder that even as diplomacy and energy politics play out, Russia is still trying to kill Ukrainians wherever it can reach them.
What does it mean that Zelenskyy wants a leaders' meeting with Trump and Putin?
It means he thinks the war won't end through military victory or grinding attrition. He's betting that direct negotiation between the three most powerful figures involved could actually move the needle. Whether that's realistic or just hope is the question everyone's asking.