EU summit: Slovakia calls for help with gas supplies

The Slovakian government demands that the final declaration must at least mention the Slovakian demand for a renewal of gas transit through Ukraine. The left-wing nationalist Prime Minister Robert Fico had this position approved by the relevant parliamentary committee in Bratislava before his departure to Brussels.

"I think it must be acceptable to mention that we need the help of the EU Commission to make gas transit possible again," Fico was quoted as saying by the TASR news agency. "If the final declaration contains such wording, we no longer have any reason not to support it," he said. In contrast to Hungary, Slovakia has so far supported all EU decisions in favour of Ukraine and against Russia without exception, although Fico has frequently criticized them.

Ukrainian gas transit stop

Ukraine, which is under attack from Russia, stopped the transit of Russian gas through its territory to several EU countries at the beginning of the year, as announced long beforehand. Since then, it has been in dispute with its neighbor Slovakia, which is more dependent on Russian gas supplies than almost any other country in Europe. Fico had strongly criticized Ukraine's decision from the outset and tried to reverse it. He accuses Ukraine of harming countries that help it.