Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico burnished his image as a straight-shooter and independent thinker as he prepared for his meeting yesterday with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, just across the border inside Ukraine. The day before, he had made clear that he would veto any attempt by Ukraine to join NATO, and that he looked forward to celebrating in Moscow next year the 80th anniversary of the defeat of the Nazis. Yet, he is a strong supporter of getting Ukraine into the EU and went to yesterday’s meeting to reason with Shmyhal on avoiding a ‘scorched earth’ policy on energy.
Slovakia, Hungary, and the Czech Republic all have depended on Russian natural gas being transmitted through a Ukrainian pipeline, and Kiev has greatly benefited from the transit fees collected. Slovakia has even provided Ukraine with energy during shortages. Yet Kiev has interrupted the deliveries.
Yesterday, after their meeting, Shmyhal announced that, while Slovakia would honor the present contract with Russia’s gas exporter, it would not renew the contract when it expires on Jan. 1, 2025. Shmyhal stated: “Ukraine will not extend a transit agreement with Russia upon its expiration.” Further, he said that Ukraine’s strategic goal is “to impose sanctions on Russia’s gas molecule, deprive the Kremlin of the profits from the sale of hydrocarbons, which the aggressor uses to finance the war. We urge all European countries to completely abandon Russian oil and gas. We understand the acute dependence of some countries, in particular Slovakia, on such resources. But, we count on the gradual diversification of supplies.”
While clearly not the result Fico sought, he did not slam the door shut. Rather, he offered: “I welcome our discussion which confirmed that you, like us, have an interest in the transit system you have on Ukrainian territory continuing to be used, when it comes to both oil and gas.” He reiterated the offer to help Ukraine through the shortages this winter and offered to work with Ukraine on a preliminary level in getting peace talks going with Russia.
