Slovakia will consider reciprocal measures against Ukraine such as halting back-up electricity supplies after Jan. 1 if Kyiv, as expected, stops the transit of Russian gas to Slovakia, Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Friday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia is open to a Slovakian proposal to host peace talks with Ukraine to end a conflict he said Russia was determined to bring to a conclusion.

Prime Minister Robert Fico’s warning comes as the gas transit deal between Russia and Ukraine is set to expire at the end of the year.

Ukraine's President Zelenskiy accuses Slovakia's PM Fico of opening a second energy front against Ukraine at Russia's behest. This follows Fico's visit to Moscow and threatens reciprocal energy sanctions.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Slovakia's Prime Minister Rober Fico discussed primarily the ongoing conflict in Ukraine during his visit to Moscow last week.

Fico's remarks come after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed opposition to the continued transit of Russian gas through Ukraine to Slovakia once the current contract expires at the beginning of next year. Fico added that according to ...

Slovakia on Friday confirmed its readiness to host peace talks on Ukraine, with Russian President Vladimir Putin previously calling it "acceptable" for the country to become a "platform" for dialogue. "We offer Slovak soil for such negotiations," Foreign ...

Mr Zelensky accuses Slovakia's PM of opening a "second energy front" against Ukraine on the orders of Russia. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico threatened to cut off back up power supplies to Ukraine if Kyiv stops transporting Russian gas to Central Europe.Most Read from BloombergMigrant Crisis Pushed US Homelessness to Record High in 2024Ho Chi Minh City Opens First Metro Line After Years of Delay“After January 1,

Slovakia has said it is "prepared to actively contribute to the peace process" by hosting talks - but Ukrainian authorities are yet to comment.

The future of gas transit through Ukraine is at a turning point. If a last-minute deal isn’t struck by Wednesday, billions of cubic meters in gas flows could come to a halt.