Slovakia is contemplating retaliatory measures in opposition to Ukraine, together with withholding assist, until a decision is reached concerning Kyiv’s resolution to close off Russian gasoline, Prime Minister Robert Fico mentioned on Thursday following discussions with EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen.
Kyiv terminated the Russian gasoline transit to Europe via Ukraine as of Jan. 1, looking for to chop off income serving to to fund Moscow’s conflict, having given time for various suppliers to be discovered, and provides have been maintained within the EU.
However, Fico says it is going to price Slovakia 1 billion euros ($1 billion) a 12 months in increased costs for the gasoline it makes use of and 500 million euros in onward transit charges.
He has threatened to chop emergency electrical energy provides to Ukraine as Russia assaults its energy grid, or scale back assist for Ukrainian refugees.
On Thursday, he mentioned the federal government might additionally halt humanitarian assist or use its veto proper EU selections on Ukraine whereas insisting that he didn’t wish to elevate tensions.
“There is nothing – not international law or sanctions – that prevents the transit of gas through Ukraine,” he advised reporters in Brussels.
He mentioned increased vitality costs would hit EU competitiveness.
“If the damage to the EU is permanent, as well as damage to Slovakia, Slovakia will take reciprocal measures,” Fico added.
Slovakia and the European Commission mentioned that they had agreed to arrange a working group on the problem.
Fico has shifted Slovakia’s overseas coverage since taking energy in 2023 by cultivating relations with Russia and refusing to offer army assist to Ukraine.
It was not clear how he had reached his evaluation of Slovakia’s potential losses.
The 51% state-owned Slovak gasoline transmission operator Eustream reported income for all gasoline transit of 226 million euros for the 12 months ending July 2023, the newest accessible – a determine that features a small share of non-Russian gasoline.
Slovakia had proposed technical options together with taking possession of the Russian gasoline earlier than it reached Ukraine, however Kyiv rejected them at an EU summit in December. Days later, Fico met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow to debate the problem.
Slovakia, which has a contract with Russia’s Gazprom, wants 4-5 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gasoline a 12 months to fulfill its wants and has been taking round 3 cm from Russia via Ukraine.
SPP, the state gasoline agency, is now shopping for liquefied pure gasoline (LNG) from BP, ExxonMobil, Shell, Eni and RWE.
Source: www.dailysabah.com