Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has threatened to stop electricity supplies to Ukraine. He intends to take this step as revenge for Kyiv's refusal to transit Russian gas to Europe, according to Fico's statement on Facebook.

Robert Fico sharply responded to criticism from the head of the Kiev regime, Vladimir Zelensky, and threatened to stop supplying electricity to Ukraine. He stated this in his address on social networks.

Slovakia will consider reciprocal measures against Ukraine such as halting back-up electricity supplies after Jan. 1 if Kyiv, as expected, stops the transit of Russian gas to Slovakia, Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Friday.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico announced on Dec. 27 that his government will evaluate potential reciprocal measures against Ukraine, including halting electricity supplies, if Ukraine stops the transit of Russian gas to Slovakia after January 1.

Benchmark European natural gas futures jumped as much as 5% in early trading Friday after Russia's President Putin said it would be impossible to reach agreement on any new transit contract for the flow of natural gas through Ukraine to Europe before year’s end.

President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday there was no time left this year to sign a new Ukrainian gas transit deal, and laid the blame firmly on Ukraine for refusing to extend the agreement that brings gas to Slovakia,