Warsaw (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Poland prepares to increase electricity exports to Ukraine if Slovakia halts backup power, following threats from Prime Minister Fico.
Poland is ready to ramp up electricity exports to Ukraine if Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico pursues through on his threat to cut off backup power supplies to Ukraine, a senior official expressed on 29 Dec 2024.
As reported by Bloomberg, the Polish government stands prepared to increase domestic power production to balance any inequalities that Ukraine’s weak system would mourn in the possibility of a Slovak move, according to the official, who requested not to be recognised as the conversations are private.
What are the implications of Fico’s energy threats for Ukraine?
On December 27, 2024, Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico said Slovakia might cut electricity supplies to Ukraine if Kyiv does not extend the transit of Russian gas to Europe beyond December 31. He said, “After January 1, we will assess the situation and potential reciprocal measures against Ukraine,” suggesting that Slovakia could stop supplying electricity Ukraine urgently needs during winter network outages.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized the threats by Fico saying that they seem to be the brainchild of Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to Zelenskyy, the situation is an attempt by Fico to launch a “second energy front” against Ukraine, that suits the interests of Russians who are attacking Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
Zelenskyy warned that Fico’s policy could harm Slovakia economically by jeopardizing the substantial payments Ukraine makes for electricity imports. He noted that cutting off these supplies could lead to a significant financial loss for Slovakia, estimated at around $200 million annually. Zelenskyy stressed that Slovakia is part of the integrated European energy market and has to respect common European regulations. He demanded that European countries cooperate in enhancing energy security and decreasing reliance on Russian gas.
