Slovakia may retaliate against Ukraine following Kyiv’s decision to halt the transit of Russian gas through its territory, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has warned.
In a video shared on Facebook on Thursday, Fico suggested potential measures by his Smer party, including cutting electricity supplies to Ukraine and reducing assistance for Ukrainian refugees.
Slovakia supplied 2.4 million megawatt hours of electricity to Ukraine between January and November 2024, Reuters reported, citing data from the Slovak grid operator.
These exports have been vital in helping Ukraine address energy shortages caused by Russian attacks on its infrastructure.
On January 1, Ukraine stopped the transport of Russian gas to Europe through its territory, fulfilling a pledge made after a key agreement with Moscow expired. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the move as “one of Moscow’s greatest defeats.”
Fico, however, labeled the decision as “sabotage” by Zelensky. He announced that a Slovak delegation would address the issue in Brussels next Tuesday.
Following this meeting, Fico stated, his ruling coalition would decide on potential retaliatory measures.
“I declare (my Smer-SSD party) are ready to debate and agree in the coalition on halting supplies of electricity and on significant lowering of support for Ukrainian citizens in Slovakia,” Fico stated.
He added, “The only alternative for a sovereign Slovakia is renewal of transit or demanding compensation mechanisms that will replace the loss in public finances of nearly 500 million euros.”
Tensions between Kyiv and Bratislava have been rising, with Fico cautioning earlier in the week that Ukraine’s actions could have severe implications for the European Union, though he claimed Russia would remain unaffected.
Fico has previously argued that ending Russian gas transit through Ukraine could result in increased energy prices across Europe.
Ukraine’s decision to stop Russian gas flows has financial repercussions for both nations.
Kyiv stands to lose approximately $800 million annually in transit fees, while Gazprom, Russia’s state-owned energy company, could see losses nearing $5 billion in sales.
Notably, Fico visited Moscow on December 22 for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, making him one of the few EU leaders to visit the Kremlin since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Since reclaiming power in 2023, Fico has taken positions on the war in Ukraine that diverge sharply from those of most European leaders.
He has ceased Slovakia’s military aid to Ukraine, opposed Ukraine’s NATO membership, and criticized EU sanctions on Russia.
