Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico indicated how Slovakia could respond to the suspension of gas supplies from Russia via Ukraine.
The Slovak Prime Minister called Ukraine’s suspension of the transit of gas sent from Russia to the European Union “sabotage by Zelensky.” In a video published on Thursday, Fico again warned about the possibility of cutting off electricity supplies to Ukraine and the possibility of limiting support to refugees from Ukraine in Slovakia.
Fico announced that the suspension of transit posed no threat to gas supplies to Slovak households. Slovakia has alternative options in this regard. Kiev’s decision means the loss of income from gas transport via Slovakia to Western Europe. He estimated it at half a billion euros per year.
Gas from Russia no longer flowed through Ukraine. The transit contract has expired
Let us not forget that, as announced, on January 1, 2025, the Russian company Gazprom stopped gas exports to Europe through Ukraine. On that day, the five-year agreement between Moscow and Kiev on gas transit through Ukraine expired. Previously, Kiev repeatedly refused to renew the contract.
Kiev’s actions led to a political conflict with the authorities in Bratislava. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has leveled accusations that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico to “open a second energy front” and provoke a conflict with Kiev in the energy sector.
In response, the Slovak Foreign Ministry published a statement on the issue, rejecting Zelensky’s “groundless fantasies” about a “second front” and “imaginary alliances with Vladimir Putin.”
Fico: Kiev attacks the European Union
The head of the Slovak government reiterated his previously stated position that Kiev’s decision to suspend the transit of gas from Russia through Ukraine will not affect Russia but the European Union.
Fico noted that he plans to continue a balanced foreign policy focused on “all corners of the world.” He emphasized that it is based on respect for international law and the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries. he recalled that peace in this matter, from Slovakia’s point of view, is the main priority. The politician spoke about this in his New Year’s speech, which he delivered in several languages, including Swedish, Spanish, English and Russian.
Source: Do Rzeczy
Roy Brown is a renowned economist and author at The Nation View. He has a deep understanding of the global economy and its intricacies. He writes about a wide range of economic topics, including monetary policy, fiscal policy, international trade, and labor markets.
