The contract for the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine is a little over a week away from expiration. However, two EU countries - Slovakia and Hungary - do not want to lose critical supplies and are counting the losses if the route is lost.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry has stated that the weakness, dependence and short-sightedness of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico's energy policy pose threats to the whole of Europe. Source: The ministry's response to Fico's talks with Russian ruler Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin,

Gluck called the request absurd, arguing that Ukraine is the one violating its agreement with the EU by blocking energy deliveries, not Slovakia. Fico had visited Moscow over the weekend to discuss continuing purchases of Russian oil, gas, and nuclear fuel ...

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Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Slovakian prime minister Robert Fico of helping Vladimir Putin finance his war in Ukraine. The Slovak leader met with the Russian president in Moscow on Sunday as part of his country’s bid to ensure their access to Russia supplied energy, of which Slovakia is one of the biggest importers in the EU.

Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico has for the second time in as many months made comments against Ukraine joining NATO. He did, however, acknowledge that Russia's invasion had violated international law.

Russian ballistic missile hits Zelensky’s hometown as Moscow cargo ship sinks - One person killed and 15 injured in ballistic missile attack in Kryvyi Rih

The Ukrainian president criticized Slovakia's leader Robert Fico for making "shadow agreements" with Russia's Vladimir Putin.

Prime Minister Robert Fico’s surprise visit to Moscow on Sunday, reportedly to discuss natural gas and Ukraine, was a blow to European unity against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The EU has a non-binding goal of stopping all Russian energy imports by 2027. “The end of Ukraine transit could speed up this decoupling, and would also imply a loss of $6.5 billion annually for Russia, unless it can redirect these flows to other pipelines or LNG terminals,” Bruegel said.