Fico threatened to halt electricity supplies to Ukraine if gas transit is stopped, according to Bloomberg.

Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico has threatened to halt energy supplies to Ukraine if Kyiv ceases to transport Russian gas to Central Europe, as reported by Bloomberg.

“After January 1, we will assess the situation and potential measures against Ukraine,” Fico stated in a video posted on Facebook on Friday evening. “If necessary, we will stop supplying electricity, which is critically needed by Ukraine during emergency grid outages.”

Russian gas will cease to flow through Ukraine to Europe at the end of the year, as the transit agreement between Kyiv and Moscow will expire.

Slovakia is one of the largest buyers of Russian gas, thus increasing pressure on Ukraine to find a solution. Fico has threatened retaliation if Volodymyr Zelensky does not provide what he wants, marking yet another of his threats.

Russian oil is still being delivered to Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline that runs through Ukraine.

According to Bloomberg, halting oil transit could be a possible countermeasure from Kyiv if Slovakia stops exporting electricity, as stated by a source familiar with the matter who wished to remain anonymous.

Fico claims that stopping the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine would significantly impact Europe’s economy. The Slovak leader stated that the European Union would face an additional €120 billion in energy costs over the next two years as a result of the transit stoppage.

“Halting the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine is not just an empty political gesture. It is an extremely costly step that we, in the European Union, will have to pay for,” Fico said.

The Prime Minister of Slovakia wants to maintain gas transit after 2024 and claims he has proposed alternative solutions that would not require contact between the two warring countries, the publication asserts.

Background. Recall that Zelensky previously mentioned that Ukraine had offered Slovakia compensation for the loss of Russian transit. He accused Fico of shadowy dealings with Putin.