Despite EU efforts to reduce dependence on Russian fossil fuels, Slovakia remains reliant on Russian gas under a long-term contract with Russia's state-owned energy giant Gazprom. Switching to alternative supply routes could cost Slovakia an additional €220 million ($229 million) in transit fees.

Slovakia's coalition government will discuss retaliatory measures to take against Ukraine after it halted the flow of Russian gas through its territory to Slovakia, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Thursday.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico described Ukraine's halt of the transit of gas supplied from Russia to the EU as "Zelensky's sabotage." In a video released on Thursday, he again threatened to cut off electricity supplies to Ukraine and discussed the possibility of reducing support for Ukrainian refugees in Slovakia.