Slovakia’s coalition government will discuss how to retaliate against Ukraine after it stopped the flow of Russian gas from its territory to Slovakia, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Thursday.
Fico said in a video message posted on Facebook that his Smer group would consider cutting off electricity to Ukraine, reducing aid to Ukrainian refugees, and demanding the renewal of gas transit or compensation for the loss he said Slovakia suffered due to the end of Russian gas. it flows.
Russian gas exports through Soviet-era pipelines through Ukraine were halted on New Year’s Day, marking the end of Moscow’s decades of dominance in European energy markets, as a transport contract between Russia and Ukraine expires.
Slovakia has some gas available but Fico, who has cut military aid to Ukraine and sought warmer relations with Moscow, says Slovakia will lose its transit money and pay more transit fees to bring in non-Russian gas. He also said that gas and electricity prices in Europe will increase due to Ukraine’s actions.
Fico said the Slovak delegation will discuss the situation in Brussels next Tuesday and that his ruling coalition will discuss retaliation for what he called the “destruction” of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“I announce that (my Smer-SSD party) is ready to negotiate and agree to a coalition regarding the suspension of electricity supply and a significant reduction in support for Ukrainian citizens in Slovakia,” Fico said. “The only option for the ruling Slovakia is to rehabilitate the roads or seek compensation to replace the loss of public funds of around 500 million euros.”
Zelenskyy accused Fico last week of opening a “second field of force” against Ukraine at the behest of Russia.
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