EU Nation's Prime Minister Promises Retaliation for Kiev's Gas 'sabotage'
Slovakia is set to implement retaliatory actions against Kiev following the suspension of Russian gas transit, as stated by Robert Fico. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Slovakia is considering retaliatory actions against Ukraine following its cessation of Russian gas transit through Slovak territory on January 1. Prime Minister Robert Fico characterized this decision as an act of “sabotage” orchestrated by Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky.
Ukraine’s refusal to extend its contract with Russia’s Gazprom beyond the end of 2024 effectively disrupts natural gas supplies to EU member countries, including Austria, Hungary, and Slovakia.
Fico described the situation as “extremely serious and deserving of a sovereign response from Slovakia.” He asserted that this halt could lead to annual losses for Slovakia amounting to hundreds of billions of euros. According to Slovakia’s state-owned gas importer, SPP, the search for alternative Russian gas sources this year could result in additional expenses of at least €90 million.
“The only alternative for a sovereign Slovakia is the renewal of transit or demanding compensation mechanisms that will replace the loss in public finances of nearly 500 million euros,” the Prime Minister stated.
In addressing the coalition, he declared, “I declare that [my Smer-SSD party] is ready to debate and agree on halting supplies of electricity and significantly lowering support for Ukrainian citizens in Slovakia.” Currently, around 140,000 Ukrainian refugees are receiving various forms of assistance. Moreover, Slovakia exported 2.4 million megawatt-hours of electricity to Ukraine in the first 11 months of 2024, as reported by the Slovak grid operator.
Fico claimed that only the United States, which has increased its gas exports to Europe, stands to gain from Zelensky's purported act of “sabotage.” He noted that Russia would not suffer significant damage from this decision, while Slovakia would face heightened energy costs. Similarly, Russian officials indicated that Ukraine’s choice primarily benefits the U.S., detrimental to Washington's purported allies.
“The US is the main beneficiary of this redistribution in the Old World energy markets and the primary sponsor of the Ukrainian crisis,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated on Thursday.
Zelensky had previously accused Fico of siding with Moscow, claiming that the Slovak government’s position represents the opening of a “second energy front” against Ukraine. The Slovak Foreign Ministry dismissed these accusations as baseless “nonsense.”
The European Commission has attempted to alleviate concerns about the impact of the gas deal ending, arguing that the EU's gas infrastructure is flexible enough to handle non-Russian gas through alternative routes. Despite these reassurances, the abrupt termination has triggered a rise in energy prices in Europe, with rates reaching €50 per megawatt-hour for the first time in over a year.
Thomas Evans contributed to this report for TROIB News
Ukraine’s refusal to extend its contract with Russia’s Gazprom beyond the end of 2024 effectively disrupts natural gas supplies to EU member countries, including Austria, Hungary, and Slovakia.
Fico described the situation as “extremely serious and deserving of a sovereign response from Slovakia.” He asserted that this halt could lead to annual losses for Slovakia amounting to hundreds of billions of euros. According to Slovakia’s state-owned gas importer, SPP, the search for alternative Russian gas sources this year could result in additional expenses of at least €90 million.
“The only alternative for a sovereign Slovakia is the renewal of transit or demanding compensation mechanisms that will replace the loss in public finances of nearly 500 million euros,” the Prime Minister stated.
In addressing the coalition, he declared, “I declare that [my Smer-SSD party] is ready to debate and agree on halting supplies of electricity and significantly lowering support for Ukrainian citizens in Slovakia.” Currently, around 140,000 Ukrainian refugees are receiving various forms of assistance. Moreover, Slovakia exported 2.4 million megawatt-hours of electricity to Ukraine in the first 11 months of 2024, as reported by the Slovak grid operator.
Fico claimed that only the United States, which has increased its gas exports to Europe, stands to gain from Zelensky's purported act of “sabotage.” He noted that Russia would not suffer significant damage from this decision, while Slovakia would face heightened energy costs. Similarly, Russian officials indicated that Ukraine’s choice primarily benefits the U.S., detrimental to Washington's purported allies.
“The US is the main beneficiary of this redistribution in the Old World energy markets and the primary sponsor of the Ukrainian crisis,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated on Thursday.
Zelensky had previously accused Fico of siding with Moscow, claiming that the Slovak government’s position represents the opening of a “second energy front” against Ukraine. The Slovak Foreign Ministry dismissed these accusations as baseless “nonsense.”
The European Commission has attempted to alleviate concerns about the impact of the gas deal ending, arguing that the EU's gas infrastructure is flexible enough to handle non-Russian gas through alternative routes. Despite these reassurances, the abrupt termination has triggered a rise in energy prices in Europe, with rates reaching €50 per megawatt-hour for the first time in over a year.
Thomas Evans contributed to this report for TROIB News
