Ukraine and Slovakia agree on East European energy hub

Ukraine and Slovakia have agreed to establish an East European energy hub, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on 7 October following intergovernmental consultations with Slovakia.

According to Shmyhal, the hub is created to utilize gas storage facilities, develop the Mukachevo interconnector, and cooperate with the nuclear industry.

According to the Prime Minister, Slovakia is the second-largest country in emergency and commercial electricity transmission to Ukraine. Russian attacks caused huge damage to Ukraine’s power infrastructure. These imports help Ukraine maintain a stable power supply for its population and critical infrastructure.

“This will strengthen not only the energy security of our two countries but also the security of the entire East European region,” Shmyhal said.

Ukraine and Slovakia are also implementing a joint project to modernize the Mukachevo-Velke Kapusany electrical interconnector. According to Shmyhal, the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2028.

During the meeting, Shmyhal also confirmed that Kyiv will not extend the current transit deal, which expires in December 2024.

“We understand the acute dependence of some countries, in particular Slovakia, on this resource. But we are counting on a gradual diversification of supplies,” he said.

The announcement comes as Russia has significantly reduced its pipeline gas transit to Europe since 2022, although countries such as Austria, Hungary, and Slovakia rely heavily on Russian imports.

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