A Russian energy giant, Gazprom, is set to significantly increase its natural gas deliveries to Slovakia via the TurkStream pipeline starting in April, according to the head of the Slovakian energy supplier, SPP, Vojtech Ferencz, who announced the news on Monday.
Gazprom has been supplying gas to Slovakia since February, after Hungary freed up capacity on the TurkStream pipeline. SPP’s trading director, Michal Lalik, assured that neither the supply nor the storage levels will be affected and that the expected increase is not expected to cause any issues. Initially, it was reported that the deliveries would double in April, but SPP’s chief now suggests that the actual volumes will be a multiple of the previous deliveries, significantly more than the initial doubling.
The agreement with Gazprom Export runs until 2034. This development is linked to the end of Ukrainian gas transit at the start of the year. Slovakia, currently reliant on gas deliveries through Hungary, is demanding a resumption of transit through Ukraine, along with Budapest. The Slovakian government has even threatened to use its veto power against further EU aid for Kiev if no changes are made to Ukraine’s stance.
Following the September 2022 attack on the Nord Stream pipelines, the TurkStream pipeline has become the most significant route for Russian natural gas exports to Europe. Russia currently exports around 309 million cubic meters of natural gas per week through TurkStream to Serbia, Hungary and Slovakia. According to the British think tank, “Ember” the EU’s total Russian gas imports, including pipeline and LNG deliveries, increased by 18% in 2024, from 38 billion cubic meters in 2023 to 45 billion cubic meters.