Key information
- Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico warns that stopping the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine will have a significant impact on the European Union.
- Ukraine is refusing to extend its transit deal with Gazprom, Russia’s state-owned energy giant, despite calls from countries such as Hungary and Slovakia that rely heavily on affordable Russian energy.
- The European Commission supports Ukraine’s decision not to renew the gas deal with Russia, saying other supply options are available.
The end of Russian gas transit through Ukraine will have a significant impact on the European Union, according to Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. He warned that while the EU will face consequences, Russia itself will not be much affected. Fico stressed that the move would lead to higher costs for member states, which could harm their competitiveness and increase energy prices in Slovakia.
Despite calls from countries like Hungary and Slovakia, which rely heavily on affordable Russian energy, Ukraine has refused to extend its transit deal with Gazprom, the Russian state-owned energy giant. This agreement, in place for decades, expired on January 1. Fico, known for his friendly relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, even threatened Ukraine with retaliatory measures if it did not restore the agreement. These measures could include stopping electricity exports to Ukraine during the harsh winter season.
Ukraine’s alternative plans
Ukraine, however, is not being intimidated by these threats and is offering its national gas production as an alternative to neighboring countries. Poland has expressed its willingness to increase its electricity exports to Ukraine if Slovakia carries out its threats. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski sees the end of the Russian gas deal as a victory for Ukraine, saying it effectively takes away Putin’s ability to directly export gas to the EU and bypasses the role of Ukraine as a transit route.
Complications within the EU
Although Russia has already suspended energy deliveries to nations such as Germany and Poland following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, some EU member states, including Slovakia, Hungary and Austria continued to import Russian gas despite the EU’s collective commitment to end this dependence by 2027. The situation is all the more complex as Russia recently stopped supplying the region separatist Transnistria in Moldova with gas, causing an energy shortage that could lead to a humanitarian crisis.
Support from the European Commission
The European Commission supports Ukraine’s decision not to renew the gas deal with Russia, saying the EU is prepared for this outcome after more than a year of work to ensure other options supplies are available. Since taking office in 2023, Slovak Prime Minister Fico has positioned himself as one of the Kremlin’s strongest supporters within the EU. He has publicly pledged to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO and has refused to provide additional military aid to kyiv beyond what has already been sent.
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