The European Commission will continue negotiations with Ukraine on gas supplies to Europe, including Hungary and Slovakia, according to an EU diplomat's statement obtained by Reuters on Jan. 27. Ukraine ended Russian gas supplies to Europe on Jan.

Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanář stated on Monday that Bratislava is pleased with the European Commission's announcement regarding talks with Kyiv about gas transfer and is hopeful for the resumption of discussions about transferring Azerbaijani resources through Ukraine.

The European Commission will continue talks with Ukraine on natural gas supplies to Europe and will include Hungary and Slovakia in these talks, according to a statement shared by an EU diplomat and seen by Reuters on Monday.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has rejected a Ukrainian invitation to visit Kyiv this week to discuss gas transit deals, Russia's TASS news agency said on Tuesday, citing a Slovak lawmaker, amid a spat over the end of Russian gas deliveries.

A Slovak schoolboy, the winner of the mathematics Olympiad, refused to shake the hand of the country's President, Peter Pellegrini, because he does not agree

After Prime Minister Robert Fico alleged there were plans to escalate anti-government protests into an attempted coup, Slovaks took the streets in over 20 cities to peacefully protest the government's pro-Russia policy.

Kyiv refused to extend a deal to transport Russian gas to Europe to stop Moscow earning revenue for its Ukraine invasion. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Slovakia could potentially refuse emergency assistance if there is no cost-sharing arrangement, but the country has extended a deal for emergency support with Ukraine in mid-2024. Kyiv paid €12 million for emergency power in 2024, Fico acknowledged. Ukraine's dependence on flows from Europe and Slovakia is also limited.

The European Union Commission on Monday said it would continue talks with Ukraine on natural gas supplies to Europe and would include Hungary and Slovakia

The statement was read to EU ambassadors on Monday morning, ahead of a meeting of foreign ministers to discuss extending sanctions against Russia, which are renewed every six months. "Hungary is delaying the extension of the bloc’s sanctions against Russia,

Comments came after angry complaints from Slovakia and Hungary over Kyiv’s refusal to renew transit of Russian gas.