Ukraine calls Slovakia’s bluff as Fico threatens power cutoff over Russia gas deal spat
Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko also says Kyiv can buy electricity from Romania and Poland if it loses supplies from Bratislava.
Victor Jack | December 31, 2024 | 3:21 pm CETUkraine is not worried about Slovak threats to cut power supplies to Kyiv over its refusal to prolong a gas deal with Russia, the country’s top energy official said, with just hours to go until the controversial pact expires.
Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico this week warned he could take “reciprocal measures” including stopping electricity exports to Ukraine in the depths of winter after Kyiv ruled out extending the 2019 agreement, which allows gas to flow through the country into Central Europe.
“I don't think that they would do this,” Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko told POLITICO in an interview, arguing the move would be “absolutely contrary” to EU rules. Kyiv has also appealed to the European Commission, the EU’s executive, to begin a formal consultation on the issue, he said.
Meanwhile, Kyiv could replace the lost power with imports from Romania and Poland . . .
https://www.politico.eu/article/ukraine-slovakia-russia-gas-deal-power-robert-fico/
60% of Poland's electricity comes from coal. So they have power to spare.