The cessation of Russian gas transit through Ukraine will allegedly have serious consequences for the countries of the European Union, but not for Russia, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said in his New Year's speech.
Points of attention
- The cessation of gas transit through Ukraine has serious consequences for European Union countries, in particular Slovakia, but not for Russia.
- Fico accused Ukraine and emphasized the possible damage to his country's economy due to the suspension of transit.
- The Ukrainian gas transmission system operator officially announced the termination of gas transit by the Russian side and prepared the infrastructure for operation in zero transit conditions.
- In response to Slovakia's threats and actions, Ukraine plans to stop transporting gas through its territory on its western and southern borders.
- The availability of alternative sources of gas supply and readiness for new operating conditions emphasize the need to address global energy challenges and cooperate between countries.
Fico once again accused Ukraine
Fico said that stopping the transit would result in losses for Slovakia in the form of hundreds of millions of euros in transit fees. He also noted that it would force the country to import gas at higher prices from alternative sources.
"The cessation of transit will have serious consequences for all of us in the European Union, but not for the Russian Federation," Fico said.
Last week, the Prime Minister of Slovakia threatened Ukraine with retaliatory measures, including cutting off electricity supplies, if Kyiv halted the transit of Russian gas to Slovakia.
In his speech, Fico also noted that his government would pursue a policy oriented towards all four corners of the world. He emphasized that such a policy would be based on “respect for international law, non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, and the pursuit of peace.”
Transit of Russian gas through Ukraine has been stopped
As reported by the GTS Operator of Ukraine, at 07:00 the Agreement on Interaction between LLC "GTS Operator of Ukraine" and PJSC "Gazprom" for Physical Connection Points of the Russian Federation-Ukraine between the gas transportation systems of Ukraine and the Russian Federation dated December 30, 2019 came to an end.
Back in December 2024, official Kyiv warned that it planned to stop transporting natural gas from the Sudzha entry point on Ukraine's eastern border to the exit points on the western and southern borders.
After that, the GTS Operator of Ukraine informed international partners about this in accordance with the established procedure.
The General Director of the Ukrainian State Transport and Communications Service, Dmytro Lippa, has already made a statement on this matter.
The Ukrainian gas transmission system operator has prepared the infrastructure in advance for operation in a zero transit mode and reliable gas supply to Ukrainian consumers. The company's staff is ready to work in new conditions, he emphasized.
