Slovak Prime Minister Fico Assures Continuation of Russian Gas Supplies Despite Ukraine Transit Suspension
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Bratislava, Jan 13 (NationPress) Russia is committed to fulfilling its natural gas obligations to Slovakia in the next few months, as stated by Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in local media.
During an interview on the TA3 news channel, Fico mentioned on Sunday that following the cessation of Russian gas transit through Ukraine to Slovakia on January 1, 2025, alternative pathways, such as pipelines through Hungary, will be explored to ensure uninterrupted supplies.
He projected that Slovakia is expected to receive between 3 billion and 3.5 billion cubic meters of gas, aligning closely with the typical annual volume imported from Russia through Ukraine, as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The stoppage of transit occurred after the gas agreement between Ukraine and Russia expired on December 31, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky opting not to renew it. Consequently, gas deliveries to Slovakia came to a halt on January 1.
Although Slovakia has secured sufficient gas storage for the immediate future, challenges remain. Fico cautioned that the nation stands to lose 500 million euros (approximately $510 million) in transit fees previously collected for moving Russian gas through Ukraine to other European countries. Furthermore, this interruption is likely to elevate gas prices, intensifying supply constraints.
Fico also expressed concern that Kyiv's decision would weaken the European Union’s competitiveness globally, noting that gas prices in Europe currently exceed those in the US by five times.
Additionally, US president-elect Donald Trump has cautioned the EU about possible trade tariffs on European exports unless member countries boost their acquisition of American oil and gas.
On the same day, a Slovak parliamentary delegation arrived in Moscow, as reported by the News Agency of the Slovak Republic. The six-member group, which includes Slovak National Council vice speakers Andrej Danko and Tibor Gaspar, intends to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and visit the Russian State Duma.
This visit follows Fico's working meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on December 22, 2024.
