Fico – who’s who in December made an unexpected visit to Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin – assessed Kiev’s move as “sabotage”.
The prime minister of the EU country said that he will propose to stop the export of electricity to Ukraine, as well as to “sharply reduce” financial support to Ukrainians who have found refuge in Slovakia.
He said there was no risk that Slovakia would suffer from a gas shortage, as it had already made alternative arrangements.
But Fico added that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s decision to turn off the taps would save Slovakia 500 million euros (£415 million; $518 million) in transit fees from other countries.
He said that his party is ready to discuss “the cessation of electricity supplies” and “a significant reduction in support for Ukrainian citizens in Slovakia.”
“The only alternative for a sovereign Slovakia is to restore transit or demand compensation mechanisms that compensate for the loss of public finances,” he added.
Last month, Zelensky accused Fico of helping Putin “finance the war and weaken Ukraine.”
“Fico involves Slovakia in Russia’s attempts to cause even more suffering to Ukrainians,” the Ukrainian president said.
Poland has offered to support Kiev if Slovakia stops exporting electricity – supplies that are crucial to Ukraine, whose power plants are regularly attacked by Russia.
The Polish government called the shutdown “another victory” against Moscow, and the European Commission said the EU had prepared for the change and most countries had coped.
Moldova, which is not in the EU, already feels the shortage.
Russia can still send gas to Hungary, Turkey and Serbia through the Turkish Stream pipeline through the Black Sea.
