Fico threatens to halt electricity supplies to Ukraine, stop supporting Ukrainians in Slovakia over gas transit cessation

The cessation of Russian gas transit through Ukraine will cause Slovakia damage in the amount of almost EUR 500 million per year and will lead to an increase in electricity prices in the EU, in connection with which Bratislava demands the resumption of transit, and otherwise intends to take measures to stop electricity supplies to Ukraine and reduce support for Ukrainian citizens residing in the country, Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico said.

"On behalf of the Slovak Social Democrats, I declare that we are ready to negotiate and agree in the coalition on the cessation of electricity supplies and a significant reduction in support for Ukrainian citizens located in the territory of the Slovak Republic. I believe that the coalition partners also view the situation around the cessation of gas transit as extremely serious and deserving a sovereign response from sovereign Slovakia," Fico said in a video statement posted on his Facebook page on Thursday.

According to him, this is not about gas for domestic consumption in Slovakia, the supply of which is guaranteed for the year and the prices for it will not increase, but about transit through Slovakia. "President Zelenskyy, with his unilateral decision, stopped gas transit from Ukraine to Slovakia to other European partners and will deprive Slovakia of almost EUR 500 million per year from other European partners, which we would receive from transit funds. The entire EU will pay from EUR 60 to 70 billion in higher electricity prices. Russia will suffer practically nothing. Only the United States will benefit from President Zelenskyy's decision, by increasing electricity imports to Europe," the prime minister said.

According to him, on Tuesday, the Slovak government delegation took part in negotiations in Brussels, where Ukrainian politicians raised the issue of a possible cessation of electricity supplies from Slovakia to Ukraine, and when this delegation returns from Brussels, he intends to convene the coalition council, and then the government, to discuss retaliatory measures to Ukraine's cessation of Russian gas transit.

"The only alternative for sovereign Slovakia is to resume transit or demand compensation mechanisms that will compensate for the deficit in public finances in the amount of almost EUR 500 million," Fico said.

As reported, from 07:00 on January 1, the Ukrainian gas transportation system stopped transporting Russian natural gas. The infrastructure of the gas transportation system was prepared in advance for operation in zero transit mode and reliable gas supply to Ukrainian consumers.