President Believes Diplomatic Talks on Energy Supplies Will Begin Promptly

Bratislava, 23 February (TASR) - President Peter Pellegrini believes that diplomatic negotiations on energy supplies will begin as soon as possible so that oil supplies to Slovakia and electricity supplies to Ukraine can resume without delay, TASR has learnt from the President's Office's communications department on Monday. Premier Robert Fico, after Monday's meeting with Finance Minister Ladislav Kamenicky (both Smer-SD), whose ministry is a 100-percent shareholder in the Slovak Electricity Transmission System (SEPS), requested that SEPS should suspend emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine. As of Monday, if Ukraine appeals to Slovakia with a request for aid in stabilising the Ukrainian energy grid, such aid won't be provided to it, stated Fico. "Before adopting today's first reciprocal measure against Ukraine for the hostile acts of President [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy, I wanted to speak to the Ukrainian president by phone and get an answer as to when and whether oil supplies to Slovakia would be resumed. We received a message that the Ukrainian president is ready for talks only after 25 February this year. Given the seriousness of the situation and the declared state of oil emergency in Slovakia, we're forced to take the first reciprocal measure immediately under these circumstances. It will be lifted immediately after the resumption of oil transit to Slovakia. Otherwise, we'll take further reciprocal measures," stated the Slovak premier. am