Slovakia's PM Robert Fico has accused Kyiv of harming Slovakia by not extending a gas transit deal with Russia to transport gas through Ukraine.
He has threatened to retaliate by cutting emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine or reducing aid for refugees.
Slovakia continues to receive gas via Hungary, which gets Russian gas through the TurkStream pipeline, following the halt of flows from Ukraine, according to Slovak gas transmission operator Eustream.
The TurkStream pipeline carries Russian gas from Türkiye into Europe, continuing through Bulgaria as the Balkan Stream.
While Bulgaria doesn't receive Russian gas, it transits the fuel to Serbia, Hungary, and Austria.
Fico claims the halt of Ukrainian transit has cost Slovakia 500 million euros in transit fees and an additional 1 billion euros in higher gas prices.
He is scheduled to meet European Commission officials in Brussels on Thursday to discuss the stoppage of Ukraine's gas transit.
Kyiv argues that ending gas transit cuts off revenue to Moscow as long as Russia continues its offensive against Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Fico of opening a "second energy front" against Ukraine under orders from Russia.
#gas #slovakia #russia #ukraine #putin #fico #energy
