The prime ministers of Slovakia and Hungary, Robert Fitzo and Viktor Orban, discussed Russian gas supplies to their countries during a meeting in Bratislava on 28 April.
Orban and Fitzo criticised the European Union’s energy policy, which is to phase out Russian energy supplies, and reiterated their common position on the need to protect what they said were national economic interests.
Orban said he supported the Slovak prime minister on the energy issue and condemned Ukraine’s blocking of Russian gas transit through Ukraine to Europe.
“I fully agree with Prime Minister Robert Fitzo that it is a shame that Ukraine is blocking the supply of natural gas through its territory. In our opinion, this is not the way of the future – it will be very difficult for Ukraine to get closer to Europe this way,” Orban said, noting that Ukraine should take more into account the interests of neighbouring countries.
Hungary has so far blocked Ukraine’s progress in the EU, citing claims to Ukrainian legislation regarding national minorities.
Fitzo, for his part, criticised the EU’s plan to stop energy imports from Russia by 2027.
“Complete nonsense! This will only lead to even higher prices and a further reduction in the competitiveness of European industry,” he said after talks with Orban.
In January, Hungary and Slovakia blocked the extension of European sanctions against Russia, which expire every six months, and demanded that Ukraine resume transit. The European Commission on 29 January, in exchange for unblocking the sanctions extension, gave Hungary assurances that it would facilitate negotiations with Ukraine on energy transit.
Slovakia is now actively looking for alternative routes for Russian gas supplies after the cessation of transit through Ukraine. According to media reports, state-owned SPP started importing gas via the Turkish Stream pipeline on 1 February 2025, and it was expected that the supply volumes would double as early as April. At the same time, SPP head Vojtech Ferencz said that the company has no plans to break its long-term contract with Russia’s Gazprom, which runs until 2034.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier said that Fitzo “bet on Moscow, not on his country, not on united Europe and not on common sense” when commenting on the Slovak government’s energy policy.