Slovakia has announced that it is now receiving natural gas from Russia via Turkey, following Ukraine’s decision to halt gas transit through its territory on January 1, 2025.
Ukraine, which has been resisting a Russian invasion since February 2022, stopped the flow of gas to the west at the beginning of the year to cut off a source of revenue for Russia’s military efforts. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy explained that this move aimed to prevent Russia from using gas sales to fund its war.
This decision significantly affected Slovakia, which relies heavily on Russian gas compared to most other European nations. Slovakia strongly protested Ukraine’s decision and quickly sought alternative routes. The state-owned gas company SPP has now confirmed that gas is being delivered through Turkey, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Hungary instead of Ukraine. Despite political tensions, SPP intends to continue its gas supply agreement with Russian energy giant Gazprom, which runs until 2034. Slovakia also invoked the EU Association Agreement with Ukraine, which ensures gas deliveries to EU countries, even in times of crisis, to secure its gas supply.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who has a pro-Russian stance within the European Union, traveled to Moscow late last year to negotiate with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Earlier this month, he also met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, where Erdogan promised diplomatic support to help Slovakia meet its gas needs.
Gas deliveries through the TurkStream pipeline began on February 1, with plans to double the volume by April. The TurkStream pipeline, which spans 930 kilometers under the Black Sea, connects Russia’s Anapa to Turkey’s Kiyikoy. From there, the pipeline connects to overland routes that supply countries in the Balkans and parts of the European Union, including Hungary and Slovakia.
Prime Minister Fico has criticized the loss of gas transit fees, which Slovakia previously earned for facilitating the westward flow of Russian gas through its territory. His trip to Moscow in January sparked mass protests across Slovakia, with tens of thousands calling for his resignation. However, SPP acknowledged that the TurkStream pipeline’s capacity is not sufficient to fully replace the gas supplies that were previously transported through Ukraine. As a result, Slovakia is actively exploring additional alternatives to ensure its energy security. For now, SPP has reported that the country’s gas storage facilities are well-stocked and should meet Slovakia’s needs through 2025.
