Fico is ready to unblock the 18th package of EU sanctions, but there's a condition.

The Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico, claims that without Russian gas, the country needs an alternative by 2034. Otherwise, he will not support new sanctions against Russia, he stated.

What Fico said

The Prime Minister explained that he proposed options to relevant political parties for protecting the country’s energy security, as he had promised earlier. However, he mentioned that the party leaders consider these proposals insufficient.

'The representative of Slovakia was instructed to propose a postponement of the vote on new sanctions, considering the position of the Slovak political leader.'

He sees allowing the uninterrupted execution of the contract with 'Gazprom' until 2034 as a solution to the problem.

'Currently, the European Commission fundamentally refuses this, as it contradicts the principles of anti-Russian sanctions.'

Recently, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced that the European Union is preparing the toughest package of sanctions against Russia since 2022. These measures will be aimed at depleting the funding sources that support Russian aggression.

Additionally, U.S. President Donald Trump threatens to introduce entirely new sanctions in 50 days if a peaceful settlement regarding Ukraine is not achieved. However, as he noted, the deadline may be shortened.

The Government of Slovakia is asking the European Commission to allow the purchase of Russian gas until 2034 to avoid new sanctions against Russia. Additionally, the EU intends to take tough measures against Moscow, and the U.S. President is preparing for the possible introduction of new sanctions if the situation in Ukraine does not resolve quickly.