Slovakia’s state energy company plans to source up to 100% of its gas from Russia in 2026

Slovakia’s state-owned energy firm, Slovensky plynarensky priemysel (SPP), plans to cover up to 100% of its gas needs for 2026 using Russian supplies, according to a report by Bloomberg. The move will be made possible by a European Union ban on spot-market purchases of Russian gas, which will free up pipeline capacity for long-term clients of Gazprom.

The EU’s ban on spot purchases is set to take effect in January 2026 as part of further sanctions against Russia. However, member states are not required to fully eliminate Russian energy imports until the end of 2027. Slovakia and Hungary have been granted exemptions for a transition period that will allow them to fulfill long-term contracts with Russian suppliers. SPP’s trade director Michal Lalik said:

“Russian gas is the most cost-effective for us, which is why we prioritize it. We could be buying 100% of our needs — that’s about 8 million cubic meters per day.”

Bloomberg noted that Slovakia’s government continues to push back against the EU’s energy phase-out plans, citing the high costs for its industry-heavy economy. Switching to Western gas routed through Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic would cost Slovakia an additional €70-90 million ($82-105 million) annually in transportation fees alone.

Slovakia’s key industrial sectors include automotive manufacturing, metallurgy, and fertilizer production. Business leaders have warned that losing access to cheaper Russian energy would further erode the competitiveness of Slovak companies, which already face some of the highest energy costs in the EU.

On July 21, Serbian Energy Minister Dubravka Djedović-Handanović held talks with Hungarian and Russian officials on building an oil pipeline between Serbia and Hungary by 2026. The pipeline would allow Russian crude to be transported from the Hungarian town of Algyő to Novi Sad in northern Serbia.