Gazprom's client. Why did Fico visit Putin, and why does he demand gas transit through Ukraine?

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico made a surprise visit to Moscow to meet with Russian dictator Putin, saying the trip was in response to Ukraine's intention to halt Russian gas transit to Slovakia starting January 1, 2025.

Formally, Fico went to the Kremlin to resolve the transit issue. Although in reality, he should have done it in Kyiv, not Moscow. Slovakia does not have a gas emergency: gas storage facilities are 90% full and gas supplies can be diversified, Slovak political analyst Grigorij Mesežnikov tells LIGA.net.

"The Slovak GTS operator, Eustream, earns on transit, and their largest trader, SPP, earns on resale. The total annual earnings of these two companies from transactions with Russian gas are $1.2-1.5 billion. This is significant money for Slovaks, which is why the Fico government is fighting for them so much," Sergiy Makogon, the former head of the Gas Transportation System Operator of Ukraine (GTSOU), explains to LIGA.net.

LIGA.net looked into Fico's trip to Putin and the consequences for Ukraine.