Key information
- Slovakia threatens to take retaliatory measures against Ukraine if a solution is not found regarding gas transit.
- Prime Minister Robert Fico says it will cost Slovakia one billion euros due to rising gas prices and 500 million euros due to the loss of transit rights.
- It suggests measures such as stopping emergency electricity supplies or reducing aid to Ukrainian refugees.
Slovakia is considering retaliatory measures against Ukraine if a solution is not found regarding Ukraine’s decision to cut off the transit of Russian gas. This was stated by Prime Minister Robert Fico following discussions with European Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen. While kyiv ended the transit of Russian gas through its territory on January 1, in a bid to cut off revenue supporting Moscow’s war effort and allow other suppliers to meet European demands, Slovakia is facing significant financial repercussions.
According to Mr Fico, these repercussions will result in an annual cost of one billion euros due to the increase in gas prices and 500 million euros due to the loss of transit rights. He has threatened to take steps such as stopping emergency electricity deliveries to Ukraine due to Russian attacks on its power grid or cutting aid to Ukrainian refugees. He also raised the possibility of cutting off humanitarian aid or using Slovakia’s veto over EU decisions regarding Ukraine, stressing that he had no intention of worsen tensions.
Context and analysis
Mr Fico says international law and sanctions do not prevent the transit of gas through Ukraine. He stresses that escalating energy prices will have a negative impact on the EU’s competitiveness, saying that if the damage caused to the EU and Slovakia proves to be permanent, reciprocal measures will be taken. Slovakia and the European Commission have agreed to create a working group to address this issue.
Since coming to power in 2023, Mr Fico has changed Slovakia’s foreign policy by cultivating relations with Russia and refusing to provide military aid to Ukraine. His assessment of Slovakia’s potential losses remains uncertain. While Eustream, Slovakia’s state-owned gas transmission operator, reported revenues of €226 million for all gas transit in the fiscal year ending July 2023 (which encompasses a small part of non-Russian gas), Mr. Fico’s calculations are not verified.
-Previous attempts and consequences
Slovakia had previously proposed technical solutions, including assuming ownership of Russian gas before it reached Ukraine, but these solutions were rejected by kyiv at an EU summit in December. A few days later, Mr. Fico met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow to discuss the issue. Slovakia, which depends on a contract with the Russian company Gazprom for 4 to 5 billion m3 of gas per year to meet its needs and which sources around 3 billion m3 from Russia via Ukraine, now buys liquefied natural gas (LNG) from companies such as BP, ExxonMobil, Shell, Eni and RWE.
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