Slovakia Holds Moscow Energy Talks to Secure Gas and Avoid Billions in Penalties

Key Facts

1Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár arrived in Moscow for the 22nd Russian-Slovak intergovernmental commission meeting.

2Blanár warned that early termination of gas contracts with Gazprom could trigger Russian arbitration claims between €10 billion and €16 billion.

Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár arrived in Moscow to attend the 22nd Russian-Slovak intergovernmental commission meeting focused on energy security. UNN reported that Blanár warned that an early termination of gas contracts with Gazprom could trigger Russian arbitration claims ranging from €10 billion to €16 billion.

Slovakia aims to ensure the continuation of Russian gas supplies under a contract valid until 2034, navigating European efforts to decouple from Russian energy. These discussions follow the Russian central bank's decision to maintain interest rates at 14% on October 23, 2026.