Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico spoke about his meeting with illegitimate Russian President Vladimir Putin on December 22. According to him, the Kremlin leader then promised to supply gas to Bratislava "somehow."
Points of attention
- Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico secured promises from Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding gas supplies to Slovakia after the transit contract with Ukraine expires.
- Putin guaranteed to fulfill gas supply obligations to Slovakia, potentially through Western Europe connections, easing concerns about energy security in the region.
- The meeting between Fico and Putin highlighted the challenges of gas transit through Ukraine and the impact on gas prices in Europe, with Fico emphasizing the need for reliable gas supply.
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized the meeting, suggesting that Slovakia may be making concessions to Russia in exchange for gas discounts, raising concerns about sovereignty.
- Fico's warnings to Ukraine about electricity supply disruptions and subsidy reductions underscore the complex relationship dynamics between the countries in the context of energy dependencies.
Fico bragged about Putin's gas guarantees for Slovakia
Fico claims that Putin "guaranteed" that Russia would "fulfill its obligations" regarding the supply of Russian gas to Slovakia after the expiration of the contract for transit through Ukraine.
I spoke with Putin about the contract between us and Gazprom, which says that they must somehow deliver gas to us. We can push something through South Stream, but for now we have storage, Slovak consumption is ensured... President Putin guaranteed that they will fulfill their obligations.
Robert Fico
Prime Minister of Slovakia
He added that some of the gas could be supplied through Western Europe (pipeline connections of Slovakia with the gas networks of neighboring countries in Central and Western Europe).
According to Fico, Europe "suffered multi-billion" losses due to the increase in gas prices, which was caused by the absence of about 13.5 billion cubic meters of gas passing through Ukraine in 2024.
Fico's meeting with Putin
On December 22, 2024, Fico met with Putin. He stated that he traveled to Moscow in response to the suspension of Russian gas transit to Slovakia through the territory of Ukraine.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy commented on the meeting between Fico and Putin in Moscow and stated that Bratislava pays for Russia's "discounts" with sovereignty or shadow schemes.
On the morning of January 1, Ukraine stopped the transportation of Russian natural gas through its own gas transportation system.
On January 2, Fico began threatening Ukraine with the cessation of electricity supplies and a significant reduction in subsidies for Ukrainians residing in the Slovak Republic.
