Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico to Discuss Gas Transit Through Ukraine with EU Chief
Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico will meet with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on December 19. The meeting comes as Slovakia and other European countries face a potential disruption in gas transit through Ukraine.
Ukraine has announced that it will not extend its contract with Russian energy giant Gazprom, which currently supplies gas to Europe through Ukrainian territory. This decision could affect countries that rely heavily on Russian gas, including Slovakia.
Slovakia imports 3 billion cubic meters of gas per year from Russia through Ukraine. The country‘s Prime Minister Fico said that Slovakia is exploring alternative options for receiving non-Russian gas through Ukraine. He plans to discuss these possibilities with EU officials during his meeting with President von der Leyen.
Ukraine has offered to negotiate gas transit agreements with other countries, excluding Russian gas. This move comes as Europe seeks to reduce its dependence on Russian fossil fuels in the wake of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
The potential loss of gas transit through Ukraine could be costly for Slovakia’s energy company SPP. The company estimates that replacing the entire volume of gas transiting from Ukraine would cost an additional 150 million euros ($157 million).
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