Slovakia has started importing natural gas via the TurkStream pipeline, Prime Minister Robert Fico has announced
Slovakia has started receiving Russian natural gas via the TurkStream pipeline after Ukraine halted transit via its territory, the EU country’s prime minister, Robert Fico, has said.
TurkStream, a key energy corridor under the Black Sea, has become the main route for Russian gas to southern and southeastern Europe following Kiev’s refusal to renew a transit deal with Moscow. The decision forced Slovakia and several other EU states to seek alternative supply routes.
In a video message posted on Facebook on Monday, Fico said, “The Russian gas is now starting its journey to Slovakia via TurkStream,” crediting joint efforts by Russia and Türkiye. “We should acknowledge their role in making it happen,” he added.
Slovak state gas supplier SPP said last week that it had begun importing gas via TurkStream on February 1 and planned to double the supply volume by April.
Slovakia, which has a contract with Russian energy giant Gazprom, requires between 4 billion and 5 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas annually to meet its energy needs. Prior to the transit halt, it had been receiving around 3 billion bcm from Russia through Ukraine.
Kiev terminated its five-year gas transit deal with Gazprom at the end of 2024, cutting off Russian pipeline deliveries to Hungary, Romania, Poland, Slovakia, Austria, Italy, and Moldova. The countries had already experienced a significant reduction in Russian gas imports due to Ukraine-related sanctions on Moscow and the 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream pipeline, which was built to bypass Ukraine’s transit monopoly.
Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky defended the decision, arguing that halting Russian gas transit would deprive Moscow of crucial energy revenues. However, Slovakia and Hungary accused Kiev of deliberately triggering an energy crisis for political leverage.
While the TurkStream route helps Slovakia meet immediate energy needs, Bratislava continues to explore alternative supply sources to enhance long-term energy security, according to Fico.
The TurkStream pipeline consists of two branches, one serving Ankara’s domestic needs, the other supplying gas to Bulgaria. This Balkan route extends to Serbia and Hungary, connecting other EU states to Russian natural gas supplies. The pipeline has an annual capacity of 15.75 bcm.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported last month that Ukraine had targeted a compressor station in Russia’s Krasnodar Region, which supplies gas to TurkStream. The attack, which involved nine kamikaze drones launched by Ukrainian forces, was largely thwarted, according to the ministry. One fixed-wing drone crashed close to a gas meter and caused minor damage, it said.
Türkiye later confirmed the attempted attack but assured that gas flows through TurkStream remained unaffected.
