BRATISLAVA, December 14. /TASS/. Slovakia is negotiating continued gas supplies through Ukrainian territory, the republic’s Prime Minister Robert Fico told reporters.
"We are holding very intense talks at an international level on gas supplies in 2025. There are many hurdles, such as political statements by the Ukrainian side, the pressure on suspension of supplies from the East to the West, proposals on gas deliveries that are much more expensive, including transit duties, which we reject. We see no reasons to pay for gas more than required due to geopolitical reasons," he said. "I am confident that a solution can be found for [gas supplies] to several EU countries with gas transit via the territory of Slovakia and Ukraine maintained," the official added.
The situation with gas supplies will be solved in coming days "at various levels in various countries," he noted. Slovakia has sufficient volume of gas in its reservoirs and it will be able to meet the demand of consumers in the event of short disruptions of gas supplies.
In turn, Economy Minister of Slovakia Denisa Sakova has said that the republic will do everything for maintaining transit of gas through its territory and Ukraine. She visited St. Petersburg for talks with Gazprom management not long ago. "Commercial talks took place. This is commercially sensitive information. A set of negotiation is in store for us. We are doing everything to make sure that gas flows further on through our territory same as through Ukraine," she said.