Energetic approach: why the Slovak prime minister flew to the Russian president
If Russia stops gas transit through Ukraine, Slovakia should stop supplying Kiev with electricity, the head of the Slovak parliament's foreign affairs commission from the Smer party, Marian Carey, has told Izvestiya. This was stated by the head of the Slovak parliament's international affairs commission from the Smer party, Marian Carey, to Izvestia. On December 22, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fitzo arrived in Moscow on an unannounced visit. In the Russian capital, he held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Kremlin did not rule out that the politicians discussed the issue of gas transit through Ukraine. The expert community notes that the termination of Russian fuel supplies may hit the economy not only of Slovakia, but also of the whole Europe.
How the Slovak prime minister's visit to Moscow went
In the evening, December 22, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fitzo met with Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin. The arrival of the Slovak politician was not announced, but Moscow did not deny earlier that talks between the two leaders were possible in the coming days. The meeting was organized in a one-on-one format. The Russian side, in addition to an interpreter, was attended by presidential aide for international affairs Yuri Ushakov.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced on Saturday that Fitzo intends to hold a meeting with the Russian president in the near future. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fitzo would discuss the transit of Russian gas. At the same time, there were no joint statements to the media following the talks.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fitzo
The contract on gas transit through Ukrainian territory expires at the end of December. The other day, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal even named the exact time when transit will stop - on January 1 at seven in the morning. At the same time, there is no specific agreement between Kiev and another possible gas exporter. The European Commission has repeatedly said that it is ready to stop supplies of natural gas through Ukraine. The other day, Reuters quoted sources as saying that the EC was not interested in extending the agreements on gas transit from Russia to EU countries through Ukrainian territory and believed that the community was "ready for its termination".
However, Slovakia cannot afford to give up gas from Russia. Robert Fitzo recently said that Bratislava would lose €500 million a year on gas transit. In response, Zelensky tried to actually bribe the Slovak leader by giving him a bribe of half a billion euros - only if Bratislava would agree to Kiev's accession to NATO. Zelensky was going to take the money from frozen Russian assets. Fitzo said he would not agree to such a thing.
- "The situation is very complicated because Ukraine will stop gas and oil transit from January 1 next year," Marian Carey, chairman of the Slovak parliament's foreign affairs commission from the ruling Smer party, told Izvestia. - If gas transit stops, I will advocate that Slovakia should somehow respond. It is known that we help Ukraine in terms of humanitarian aid. We give it electricity. Then it would be necessary to stop it from our side. Electricity for Ukraine goes through Slovakia. If they don't want us to be able to buy gas from Russia, I don't see how we can continue to help the Ukrainians.
At the same time, earlier the mass media reported that they were discussing the option of maintaining transit to Europe through the Ukrainian GTS, so that European companies would buy gas from Azerbaijan, while Ukraine would continue to use the same infrastructure and receive income from it. However, there are no concrete agreements in this direction yet.
Slovakia is interested in preserving the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine. This is important for Bratislava from the economic point of view, Igor Yushkov, an expert of the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation and a leading analyst of the National Energy Security Fund, said in a conversation with Izvestia.
- First of all, Slovakia receives all the gas through Ukraine, which they get from Russia. Plus, gas to Austria also passes through Slovakia further downstream, so they will lose money from transit. Of course, it is important for them. And if we do not supply our gas, at first they will "eat" underground storage facilities - their own and their neighbors'," he said. - This will cause a deficit in Europe: gas prices will rise in principle. That is, the whole Europe will suffer.
The expert noted that Slovakia will be forced to buy LNG and import it by reverse from coastal countries - for example, from Italy or Croatia. This will lead to additional costs for Bratislava.
- So it turns out - you were a transit country and got money for pumping. And now you will pay already for being pumped. Of course, it will be a huge blow to the Slovak economy. Moreover, Slovakia has less money than even neighboring Austria," said Igor Yushkov.
Development of relations between Russia and Slovakia
With the beginning of the SWO and the attempts of the collective West to organize artificial isolation of Russia, European politicians became rare guests in the Kremlin. Robert Fitzo's visit to Moscow is the third in this short list. The first was Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer, who made a visit to Moscow in April 2022. That meeting was held at the president's Novo-Ogarevo residence near Moscow in closed mode. The leaders held one-on-one talks without advisers or interpreters. It is noteworthy that they were devoted to discussing the situation around Ukraine and issues related to gas supplies.
After that, European leaders avoided traveling to Russia for a long time. Only in July this year, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban arrived in the Russian capital. The key topic of his meeting with Vladimir Putin was the settlement of the conflict in Ukraine and the restoration of dialog on a wide range of issues. Among other topics discussed was the construction of the Paks-2 nuclear power plant, in which Rosatom is taking part.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban during a joint press statement
Vladimir Putin's meeting with Robert Fico in Moscow is their first face-to-face contact since 2016. In March 2022, Slovakia, like other EU countries, was included in the list of unfriendly countries. In addition, it is also on the list of countries committing unfriendly acts against Russian diplomatic and consular missions abroad. It was placed there in July 2022.
Bratislava's line toward Russia changed dramatically after Robert Fitzo returned to power in October 2023. He stopped arms deliveries to Ukraine and said Kiev should compromise with Moscow. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has held bilateral talks with his Slovak counterpart Juraj Blanar at least twice this year. And Fitzo himself announced that he will attend the Victory Parade on May 9, 2025 in Moscow. In addition, the deputies of the Slovak parliament headed by deputy speaker Andrej Danko intend to visit the Russian capital in January.
Former Slovak MP Petr Marchek believes that Fitzo's visit to Russia may help normalize relations between Bratislava and Moscow. At the same time, Brussels is likely to condemn the Slovak prime minister's actions.
- This is a somewhat risky move on its part, given the current approach of the European Union and NATO. But we see Hungary sticking to the dialog with Moscow and coping with the pressure. The EU will now increase pressure on Fitzo because of this visit. But the authorities of any state must take measures in accordance with its national interests," he told Izvestia. - We see Hungary defending its interests in such a difficult environment and making serious economic progress against this background. It is a pity that Fitzo did not start making steps towards normalization of relations with Russia earlier.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fitzo during their meeting
Slovakia, like Hungary, does not consider the EU's anti-Russian sanctions to be effective. In addition, Robert Fitzo has repeatedly stated that Bratislava opposes Ukraine's membership in NATO and is in favor of a peaceful resolution of the armed conflict. It is possible that the Slovak prime minister may try to mediate in possible peace talks. However, Hungarian political analyst Gábor Styre believes that the chances that Bratislava will be able to act as a mediator are still very small.
- Neither the West nor Ukraine will accept it. Slovakia, like Hungary, could become a mediator, but I think there is no chance. The one who has them is Turkey. It has a great regional influence. It would be good if the Central European countries were to act as a moderator, but I do not think the EU supports this," he said in a conversation with Izvestia.
Movements in the issue of diplomatic resolution of the Ukrainian conflict may take place after Donald Trump returns to the White House. His term of office will begin on January 20. On December 22, he already said that he would wait for a meeting with Vladimir Putin on the settlement of the conflict in Ukraine.
