(Reuters) – Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico, who has sought the resumption of Russian gas transit through Ukraine, will discuss the issue with European Commission officials on Thursday, his office said on Tuesday.
The Kremlin said it favoured a resumption of transit through Ukraine, which has refused to renew an agreement to allow it on grounds it helps fund Russia’s war against Kyiv. Transit through Ukraine has been an established route for sending supplies to Slovakia, Austria and ex-Soviet Moldova.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy chided Fico for trying to secure new supplies from Moscow instead of from Western countries.
Fico met Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin last month to discuss gas flows to his country.
Slovakia has welcomed a European Commission statement on continuing talks with Ukraine on the possible renewal of gas transit, adding that it now saw the option of shipping gas from Azerbaijan as being back on the table.
Slovakia and Hungary have been pressing the EU to step in to restore the flow of gas to them through a major pipeline.
Hungary said on Monday it had received guarantees from the Commission to protect its energy supply, something it described as a prerequisite for Budapest agreeing to renew EU sanctions on Russia.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the issue was one of commerce and Russia “is interested in continuing this commerce.”
“We are interested in selling our products, especially since they are not only more competitive compared to American liquefied gas, but they are much more advantageous for European buyers.”
U.S. President Donald Trump last week lifted the previous U.S. administration’s freeze on export permits, a move likely to bolster U.S. energy production.
Zelenskiy, writing on Telegram, welcomed Trump’s move, describing it as “just what is needed for security and stability – more energy resources from our partners for Europe”.
“Money is needed to pay for U.S. LNG, while for Russian gas one pays with money and with independence and sovereignty,” Zelenskiy wrote. “But not Mr Fico. He chooses Moscow instead of America and other partners who can provide his country with gas on a commercial basis. And that is his mistake.”
Zelenskiy and Fico have traded verbal barbs over Fico’s bid to restore Russian gas flows through Ukraine.
Fico has threatened to cut emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine, reduce aid for its refugees in Slovakia or use its veto right on European Union decisions relating to Kyiv.
Zelenskiy hosted a Slovak opposition leader in Kyiv and supported protesters denouncing Fico’s policy tilt toward Russia.
(Reporting by Jason Hovet in Prague and Ron Popeski; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
