Russian President Vladimir Putin has assured Slovakia that Gazprom will find alternative methods to deliver contracted gas following the end of gas transit through Ukraine. This promise was made during a meeting with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in Moscow on December 22.
Key Highlights:
Background:
Ukraine has decided not to renew its transit deal with Russia, effective January 1, aiming to cut revenues that support Moscow’s ongoing war efforts.
This decision has raised concerns for Slovakia, which relies on Russian gas for its energy needs and transit revenues.
Fico’s Statements:
Fico emphasized that he discussed the contract with Gazprom, stating, “They have to somehow deliver the gas to us.”
He noted that while Slovakia could utilize the southern flow route through Turkey, current storage levels are sufficient to meet domestic consumption.
Putin’s Guarantee:
Putin guaranteed that Russia would fulfill its obligations to Slovakia, despite limitations in the TurkStream pipeline capacity.
Fico mentioned that part of the gas could also be delivered through connections to Western European gas networks.
Ukraine’s Response:
Ukraine’s foreign ministry responded to Slovakia’s criticism by asserting that the issue lies with Russia and the reluctance of certain politicians to reduce dependence on Russian energy.
The Ukrainian government maintains that the end of the transit deal has not caused fuel shortages in Europe, as alternative supplies are available.
Economic Impact:
Fico argued that Europe has faced multi-billion euro losses due to rising gas prices, exacerbated by the loss of approximately 13.5 billion cubic meters of gas that previously flowed through Ukraine, including 3 bcm for Slovak consumption.
Negotiation Attempts:
Fico revealed that there had been discussions about continuing gas shipments through Ukraine, involving potential agreements with Azerbaijan or the Slovak gas importer SPP. However, these proposals were rejected by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the EU summit in December.