Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico has taken a firm stance against Western pressure to abandon Russian natural gas in favor of more expensive alternatives. As the transit agreement between Moscow and Kiev approaches its December 31 expiration date, tensions surrounding Europe’s energy future are escalating. Fico has expressed strong reservations about Ukraine’s handling of the matter and the European Union’s strategy, highlighting the financial and geopolitical risks at stake.

The European Union has long sought to reduce its dependence on Russian energy supplies, particularly following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. This effort has seen a significant shift toward importing higher-cost liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States and other sources. However, countries like Slovakia and Hungary remain heavily reliant on cheaper Russian pipeline gas, which continues to flow through Ukraine.

According to the Slovak Prime Minister, Slovakia’s energy security hinges on these imports, which account for a significant portion of the country’s energy needs. “We reject this. We see no reason to pay more for gas than necessary for geopolitical reasons,” Fico told reporters after a recent cabinet meeting.

The Ukrainian government has stated unequivocally that it will not extend the current transit agreement with Russia beyond December 31. Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko announced earlier this week that Kiev is prepared for “zero transit” of Russian gas through its pipeline network starting January 1, 2025. This........

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