Slovakia will oppose efforts to bolster support for Ukraine and slash the flow of funds filling Russia’s war chest, the country’s leader declared Wednesday.

Axar.az informs, citing Politico, in a statement posted online, Prime Minister Robert Fico said he spoke to European Council President António Costa ahead of an EU leaders’ meeting in Brussels on Oct. 23, threatening to withhold support for a joint statement under development by diplomats.

“I expressed my astonishment that once again, Ukraine is being treated as the top priority topic,” Fico said, insisting that the bloc needs to put economic competitiveness further up the agenda and pledging to submit alternative language.

Slovakia has consistently opposed tightening of EU sanctions on Russia as part of efforts to force Moscow to the negotiating table. The country has also used what was intended as a temporary exemption to deepen its dependence on Russian energy.

According to two diplomats, granted anonymity to speak to POLITICO, Slovakia has continued to apply its veto to the EU’s latest package of Russia sanctions — the 19th to be developed since the start of the full-scale war — despite other countries getting close to an agreement following a meeting of ambassadors on Wednesday.