Slovakia’s coalition authorities will focus on retaliatory measures to take towards Ukraine after it halted the circulation of Russian fuel by its territory to Slovakia, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico mentioned on Thursday.
Fico mentioned in a video message posted on Fb that his Smer occasion would take into account chopping electrical energy provides to Ukraine, reducing support to Ukrainian refugees, and demanding the renewal of fuel transits or compensation for losses he mentioned Slovakia had suffered because of the ending of Russian fuel flows.
Russian fuel exports through Soviet-era pipelines operating by Ukraine got here to a halt on New 12 months’s Day, marking the tip of many years of Moscow’s dominance over Europe’s vitality markets, as a transit contract between Russia and Ukraine expired.
Slovakia has different fuel provides however Fico, who has ended army support to Ukraine and sought hotter relations with Moscow, says Slovakia will lose its personal transit revenues and pay extra transit charges to usher in non-Russian fuel. He has additionally mentioned European fuel and energy costs would rise on account of Ukraine’s actions.
Fico mentioned a Slovak delegation would focus on the scenario in Brussels subsequent Tuesday after which his ruling coalition would focus on retaliation for what he known as “sabotage” by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“I declare (my Smer-SSD occasion) are able to debate and agree within the coalition on halting provides of electrical energy and on vital reducing of help for Ukrainian residents in Slovakia,” Fico mentioned. “The one different for a sovereign Slovakia is renewal of transit or demanding compensation mechanisms that can exchange the loss in public funds of practically 500 million euros.”
Zelenskyy accused Fico final week of opening a “second vitality entrance” towards Ukraine on the orders of Russia.
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