Argument between Ukraine, Slovakia and Russia over transit of Russian gas

Ukrainian President Zelensky has lashed out at Slovak Prime Minister Fico. This has everything to do with Fico’s wish to continue importing gas from Russia, even though the European Union wants to get rid of it as quickly as possible.

Zelensky suggests on X that Fico has a personal interest in withdrawing from the boycott of Russian gas. “Why is this leader so dependent on Moscow? What does he get paid?” Zelensky asks.

The outage comes a week before the expiration of the 2019 agreement between Ukraine and Russia on the transit of Russian gas to Central Europe. The pipeline through which that gas flows runs through Ukrainian territory.

Kyiv does not want to renew the contract because the revenue from this gas would allow Russia to continue the war against Ukraine.

Since the outbreak of the war in 2022, most EU member states have reduced their dependence on Russian gas as much as possible. Slovakia, Hungary and Austria lag behind, partly because other suppliers are more expensive. Slovakia says it will spend an additional 220 million euros per year if it works with another supplier.

According to Zelensky, the pro-Moscow Fico was offered compensation at the European summit last week in Brussels to bridge the period during which Slovakia can look for alternatives. But Fico would have refused. “He wants Russia to make money to finance the war and weaken Europe,” Zelensky said in another swipe at Fico.

Zelensky offered the Russians and buyers another alternative. He expressed his willingness to keep the pipeline open if payments for the gas were only transferred to Russia after the end of the Ukraine war.

There is no indication that Russia will agree to this. President Putin said last week that it is clear that the transit contract with Ukraine will not be renewed, meaning that Ukraine will turn off the tap on the pipeline on January 1.

The Russian state-owned company Gazprom still supplies two-thirds of the natural gas that Slovakia needs annually, the same applies to Hungary. Austria depends on Gazprom for more than half of its needs. Other EU member states also still buy Russian gas, but much less than these three.

For those other countries it is easier to find an alternative, or principles are more important, such as the Czech Republic. “The Czech Republic has made efforts not to depend on Russian supplies because we do not want to grovel before a mass murderer,” Czech Foreign Minister Lipavský said.

Fico was in Moscow on Sunday for consultations with Putin. Little has been announced about the outcome. Russia wants to continue supplying gas to Slovakia, but the situation is “complicated”, according to the Kremlin.

Hungary directs some of its supplies from Russia through pipelines to Turkey. Slovakia is probably not able to do that, the capacity of these pipelines is limited. Fico said it would be virtually impossible to receive gas from Russia if Ukraine turned off the tap.