Poland prepared to increase energy exports to Ukraine in place of Slovakia, Bloomberg reports
Poland has expressed willingness to increase electricity exports to Ukraine if Slovakia halts its supply, Bloomberg reported on Dec. 29, citing an unnamed Polish official.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico threatened to stop electricity exports to Ukraine on Dec. 27, in response to Ukraine's decision to no longer transit Russian gas in 2025. Ukraine relies on energy imports from the EU amid Russian aerial attacks on energy infrastructure.
"If it is unavoidable, we will halt the electricity supplies that Ukraine needs during grid outages," Fico said in response to Ukraine's plans to no longer transit Russian gas on Dec. 27.
Poland is ready to increase domestic electricity production if Slovakia halts the delivery of backup power supplies to Ukraine, an unnamed Polish official said, adding that the country is ready to compensate for any shortage that Ukraine's strained system would suffer from, the official said.
Ukraine is a key transit route for Russian gas to reach the EU. While much of the EU has abandoned Russian gas, Slovakia has remained heavily reliant on Russian gas imports.
Ukraine's contract to transit Russian gas expires on Dec. 31. Ukraine will not renew its contract, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Dec. 19.
"It appears that Putin has ordered Fico to open a second energy front against Ukraine, at the expense of the interests of the people of Slovakia," Zelensky said on Dec. 28 in response to Fico's threats.
Energy companies from Austria, Hungary, Italy, and Slovakia have called for the continued transit of Russian gas via Ukraine.
EU sanctions have been reluctant to target Russian gas imports due to the bloc's reliance. The EU first imposed sanctions on Russian gas in June, over two years after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Fico's stance marks a shift from Slovakia's previous commitment to increase electricity supplies to Ukraine in July.
Sonya Bandouil
