Slovakia breaks ranks with the EU and discusses new energy supplies from Moscow; Hungary follows suit

Brussels – A complete U-turn on reducing to zero energy imports from Russia to zero by 2027. Hungary and Slovakia are holding back, asking for more time to break away completely from Moscow’s supplies, thereby calling into question the twelve-point strategy towards the Kremlin and demonstrating how Eastern Europe, once a satellite of Moscow, still orbits around Russia.

In Budapest and Bratislava, people are looking to the immediate future with renewed concern. The two governments point out to their European counterparts that their geographical location and dependence on existing supply routes make it more difficult and costly to diversify energy sources. Hence, the second thoughts. 

It is Slovakia, in particular, that is breaking ranks, with the Foreign Office announcing the resumption of energy talks with Russia, which were suspended in 2022 following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. A return to the past that highlights the cracks in the 27-member bloc’s unity towards Moscow. 

“Preparation of the 22nd session of the Intergovernmental Commission for Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation between the Slovak Republic and the Russian Federation was the main topic of the meeting between the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, Marek Eštok, and the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Slovak Republic, Sergey Andreyev,” the Foreign Ministry stated in a press release confirming the resumption of bilateral relations. 

The government led by Roberto Fico is breaking ranks with the EU, choosing to act unilaterally and in breach of the commitments made to date. The main topic of the Slovakia-Russia Intergovernmental Commission, the statement continues, “will be energy and the possibilities of cooperation in ensuring the supply of strategic raw materials.” Specifically, it states, “The Slovak side is also interested in discussing the issues of natural gas supplies and the continuation of oil supplies for the needs of the Slovak economy.”