PM Fico says Slovakia secures Russian gas supplies amid halted Ukraine transit

BRATISLAVA - Russia will honor its commitment to deliver natural gas to Slovakia in the coming months, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico told local media on Sunday.

Speaking on the TA3 news channel, Fico stated that after the suspension of Russian gas transit through Ukraine to Slovakia on Jan 1, 2025, alternative routes, including pipelines via Hungary, could be utilized to ensure continued supplies.

He said that Slovakia is set to receive between 3 billion and 3.5 billion cubic meters of gas, roughly matching the volume historically imported from Russia through Ukraine each year.

The transit halt followed the expiration of the gas contract between Ukraine and Russia on Dec 31, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky decided not to renew. As a result, gas flows to Slovakia ceased on Jan 1.

Despite securing adequate gas storage for the short term, Slovakia still face challenges. Fico said that the country risks to lose 500 million euros (around $510 million) in gas transit fees previously earned for transporting Russian gas through Ukraine to other European nations. Additionally, the halt is expected to drive up gas prices, exacerbating supply shortages.

Fico also warned that the decision by Kyiv would undermine the European Union's (EU's) competitiveness on the global stage, citing that gas prices in Europe are already five times higher than those in the United States.

In addition, US president-elect Donald Trump has warned the EU of potential trade tariffs on European exports unless member states increase their purchase of American oil and gas.

On the same day, a Slovak parliamentary delegation arrived in Moscow, according to the News Agency of the Slovak Republic. The six-member delegation, including Slovak National Council vice speakers Andrej Danko and Tibor Gaspar, plans to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and visit the Russian State Duma.

The visit follows Fico's working meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Dec 22, 2024.