Slovakia seeks EU guarantees on Russian gas phase-out ahead of sanctions deal, Reuters report

Slovakia hopes to strike a deal with the European Commission and EU partners on securing guarantees related to ending Russian gas imports by July 15, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on July 12, according to Reuters.

Fico's comments come as the European Union prepares to approve the 18th sanctions package against Russia, hoping to lift Slovakia's veto.

The proposed sanctions, presented on June 10, target Moscow's energy revenues, banks, and military industries in response to Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

While Fico said the sanctions package itself is not objectionable, his government has blocked the proposal over concerns about a separate European Commission plan to fully phase out Russian gas imports by 2028.

Unlike the gas phase-out, which can pass with majority support, EU sanctions require unanimous consent. Slovakia has effectively tied the two issues together by blocking the sanctions until its energy concerns are addressed.

"We need to win something in this fight, though it will not be a 100-0 result," Fico said. "We want political commitments, guarantees from partners and the Commission that this problem will not remain only on Slovakia's back."

Fico, who met with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on July 11 and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on July 12, said discussions remain ongoing. Unresolved issues include capping transit fees that Slovakia would have to pay for importing non-Russian gas via alternative routes.

Slovakia currently receives part of its gas through a long-term contract with Russian energy giant Gazprom, which is valid until 2034 and secures roughly 3.5 billion cubic meters of gas annually, according to Reuters. Since Ukraine halted the transit of Russian gas through its territory at the end of 2024, Slovakia has relied on deliveries via the TurkStream pipeline and Hungary.

If Slovakia lifts its veto, the sanctions could be approved as soon as July 15 during a meeting of EU foreign ministers.

Fico reversed Slovakia's previous pro-Ukraine policies, halted military aid to Kyiv, and repeatedly questioned the effectiveness of sanctions on Russia after winning elections in 2023.

Relations between Slovakia and Ukraine have also deteriorated. On June 28, Fico told Slovak broadcaster STVR that he has no intention of meeting President Volodymyr Zelensky, claiming Zelensky "hates" him and that he prefers to work with Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

"My meeting with President Zelensky has no significance," he added.

Fico also cited energy costs, saying: "I'm the prime minister of the Slovak Republic, and my task is to do everything to ensure that gas prices in Slovakia do not rise because of Ukraine."

While Fico has said Ukraine's EU membership could ultimately benefit Slovakia, he has deferred top-level bilateral talks to Slovak President Peter Pellegrini.