Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned ultimatums and blackmail by the governments of Hungary and the Slovak Republic over energy supplies at 8:15-8:45 PM UTC window on February 21, 2026, calling them provocative amid ongoing Russian strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, according to an official MFA statement on X. The MFA statement rejected the actions as irresponsible, noting they aid Russia during extreme cold weather by threatening regional energy security and harming the involved countries' commercial energy firms. Ukraine reported constant contact with the European Commission on damages from daily Russian attacks, including to the Druzhba oil pipeline, and proposed alternative non-Russian oil supply routes while repair work continues under missile threats. Ukraine affirmed its role as a reliable EU energy partner and transit country, while considering activation of the Early Warning Mechanism under the EU Association Agreement due to recent threats from Budapest and Bratislava. The MFA urged constructive cooperation, stating ultimatums should target the Kremlin, not Kyiv. Separately, Andrii Sybiha thanked Czech supporters for solidarity gatherings in Prague's main square and across the Czech Republic on February 21, 2026, describing the event as historic in an X post within the reporting window.
