Fico: Slovakia to Consider Measures Against Ukraine, Including Electricity Cuts

Bratislava, December 27 (TASR) - Following January 1, 2025, if Ukraine stops the transit of Russian gas through its land to Slovakia, the Slovak Government will consider reciprocal measures against Ukraine, including a potential stop of electricity supplies that Ukraine sorely needs, Prime Minister Robert Fico announced in a video on a social network on Friday. Earlier this year, Ukrainian representatives signalled that they don't plan to extend the contract on the transit of Russian gas through their land, which is set to expire on December 31. The Slovak Prime Minister had a dispute over this with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at last week's EU summit in Brussels. Fico discussed the issue also on Sunday (December 22) in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to Fico, the decision to stop the transit of Russian gas via Ukraine is not just an empty political gesture, but an extremely costly move that will come at the expense of the entire EU, including Slovakia. "In 2025-26, the European Union will pay additional €120 billion in higher prices of gas and electricity. Our competitiveness is due to take another dip. Slovakia will lose about half a billion euros worth of transit charges, Ukraine an almost billion, whereas Russia is likely to lose only about €2.5 billion. But oh boy, we sure punished those Russians again, right?" he claimed. Beside the loss of transit fees, Slovakia is going to face also higher prices of gas soon. Once the Ukrainian transit is shut down, it won't matter whether the replacement gas comes from the west, south or north because Slovakia will wound up at the end of the supply chain and not at its beginning as before. "But who cares about Slovakia, right Mr. Zelenskyy? But when it's something you need, so as not to freeze to death in winter, you yell like there's no tomorrow," stated Fico. Fico added that it's necessary to take a look also on who profits most from the EU reducing its dependency on Russian gas. "The answer is very simple: it's the United States of America." mf