Russian President Vladimir Putin met Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in the Kremlin on Sunday to discuss the critical issue of gas transit through Ukraine, as the existing contract nears its expiration at the end of the year.
Slovakia relies on Russian gas transiting through Ukraine, but Ukraine has refused to extend the deal due to the ongoing conflict with Russia, which has now lasted nearly 34 months. Fico has been vocal in criticizing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s stance, arguing that Slovakia would incur significant additional costs around 220 million euros if it had to source gas from alternative routes.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the meeting was arranged several days ago and that gas transit and the broader international situation were key topics of discussion. Despite this, the Slovak government has yet to make an official comment on the meeting.
Fico, who attended the European Union summit in Brussels on Thursday, again raised the issue with Zelenskiy. During the summit, Zelenskiy reiterated Ukraine’s position, stating that it would not continue the transit of Russian gas through its territory.
As the deadline approaches, Slovakia is exploring ways to maintain its energy supply while managing the increased costs associated with alternative gas routes.
