Slovakia’s populist Prime Minister Robert Fico has stepped up his anti-Ukrainian rhetoric, saying that Slovakia could halt all its humanitarian aid for Ukraine and Ukrainians in Slovakia, and could exercise its veto against the country on the EU level.

Fico made the comments in Brussels following a meeting asked for by Fico with the EU commissioner for energy over Ukraine’s long-signalled ending of Russian gas transit on the Brotherhood pipeline through its territory, which took effect at the start of this month.

“It is a serious problem and even the EU Commissioner for Energy Dan Jörgensen is aware of it,” Fico said at a press conference following the meeting on January 9.

In an ultimately futile effort, Fico and his left-right cabinet frenetically negotiated for the continuation of the Russian gas transit, which Slovakia argues will lead to higher prices for Slovak and EU consumers, while also costing Slovakia the gas transit fees it earns from the pipeline flow.

The Slovak state made some €400mn from the fees through its  Eustram gas transmission utility, where it has a 51% share, while EPH of Czech energy and media oligarch Daniel Křetínský holds 49% and managerial control. 

Analysts argue that it is the loss of this fee income, together with the close links between Kretinsky and the government, that largely explain Fico's anger, together with the leftist premier's sympathy for the Kremlin.

Slovakia has already demonstrated it is not reliant on Russian gas flow through Ukraine, and the end to the gas flows has yet to cause a significant rise in gas prices. Slovakia also receives gas flows from the West, and has significant stored gas.

However, Fico and his populist Smer party have made a sharp turn to the far-right in recent months and have continued  to shift the country’s foreign policy eastwards under Fico's slogan of foreign policy "in all four world directions".

Fico has criticised both sanctions against Russia and Western assistance to Ukraine, ending military aid, though private companies are permitted to sell arms to Kyiv. 

Fico even made a surprise visit to Moscow on December 22, becoming the first EU leader who has visited Moscow but not Kyiv.  

The EU has reacted calmly to the end of the gas flows, given that it has pressured member states to end their dependence on Russian gas. Slovakia and Viktor Orban's Hungary are among the laggards in this drive.

For his part, Jörgensen described the meeting with Fico as “a good and open discussion on the energy situation & wider implications of the end of the transit of Russian gas via Ukraine”.

“We will continue discussing closely these issues, at both political and technical level, with Slovakia and Ukraine,” he also stated on his X account. 

Slovakia’s Minister of Economy Denisa Saková has confirmed that her country secured diversification gas contracts but also pointed out the risk of insufficient gas pipeline flows coming to Slovakia via Germany, Czechia and Hungary.

“We want Slovaks and Slovak industry to have sufficient energy and for affordable prices. We are ready for this season and this year,” Saková stated, adding that “we will continue with talks, also on the EU level, and with the Ukrainian side and other partners, to renew supplies and gas transit through Ukraine”.