BRUSSELS: Slovakia is weighing measures towards Ukraine together with withholding assist if an answer will not be discovered to halted Russian fuel transit via the nation, Prime Minister Robert Fico mentioned on Thursday (Jan 9) after talks with EU vitality commissioner Dan Jorgensen.
Fico has accused Kyiv of damaging Slovakia by not extending a fuel transit take care of Russia.
He has threatened to retaliate by reducing emergency electrical energy provides to Ukraine and on Thursday mentioned the federal government might additionally halt humanitarian assist or use its veto proper within the European Union associated to Ukraine points.
Talking to reporters in Brussels, Fico mentioned the federal government didn’t need to elevate tensions however would take a look at measures if no resolution is discovered.
He reiterated the halt to Ukraine transit would value Slovakia €500 million (US$516 million) in transit charges and €1 billion in increased fuel costs.
Slovakia and the European Fee mentioned they agreed on organising a working group to evaluate the state of affairs and see what assist the EU might present.
Russian fuel exports to Europe through Ukraine ended on New 12 months’s Day, when a transit contract expired. Kyiv refused to renegotiate any deal that will feed income to Moscow which could possibly be used to fund its struggle in Ukraine.
Slovakia tried unsuccessfully final yr to have the transit deal prolonged and had checked out options involving shopping for the fuel and taking possession of it earlier than it reached Ukraine for transit.
However Fico mentioned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ended probabilities of a deal at an EU summit in December.
