Fico criticizes EU plan to ban russian gas, admits he cannot block it

Slovakia has followed Hungary in announcing that it does not support the European Commission’s roadmap to phase out Russian energy imports. According to Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, the consequences for the European Union could be more severe than for Russia, Denník N reports.

"We ask the European Commission: measure five times, cut once," he said at a press conference on Wednesday.

Fico stated that the current version of the REPowerEU roadmap is unacceptable to the Slovak government, although he acknowledged that changes could be approved by a qualified majority vote, which would allow Slovakia to be overruled.

The European Commission’s plan calls for a complete phase-out of Russian gas imports — both pipeline and liquefied natural gas — by the end of 2027.

Slovakia has a contract with Gazprom that runs until 2034. Fico said he did not know what the consequences of terminating the agreement would be.

While he recognized the strategic importance of reducing the EU’s dependence on external suppliers, he expressed concern over the potential for rising gas prices.

Slovakia will demand that its specific circumstances be taken into account, and Fico has already instructed Slovak diplomats to act accordingly.

• The European Commission’s plan includes a ban on new contracts for Russian gas and the termination of existing spot contracts — those allowing short-term purchases at current market prices — by the end of 2025. A complete halt to Russian gas imports, both via pipelines and in liquefied form, is scheduled for the end of 2027.
• The EU also aims to phase out all Russian oil imports by the end of 2027.
• There is no clear timeline for ending imports of Russian uranium and nuclear materials. This process is expected to be gradual, with a focus on diversification and the development of European alternatives.
• Last year, the EU purchased Russian energy worth €23 billion — more than it provided in aid to Ukraine.