European countries and companies have a combined demand for around 15 billion cubic metres (BCM) of Russian gas next year via Ukraine, Slovakia's economy minister said on Monday.

Slovakia aims to have a deal by the end of the year that will allow natural gas to continue to flow from Russia through Ukraine, Denisa Sakova, the nation’s deputy prime minister and economy minister said.

Denys Shmyhal, Prime Minister of Ukraine, affirmed in a call with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico that Kyiv opposes the continuation of the transit deal with Russian Gazprom, but added that Ukraine is willing to transport gas through its natural gas transmission system if it is not from Russia.

Slovakia will conduct a series of negotiations from next week to ensure Russian gas supplies after its current transit contract that involves Ukraine expires at the end of this year, government officials said on Friday.

Slovakia plans to hold negotiations next week over the future of gas supplies as well as transit of the fuel via Ukraine, according to Prime Minister Robert Fico.

EU energy ministers will meet on 16 December to discuss the future of the energy sector, focusing on concerns over energy prices and the expiration of the transit agreement between Ukraine and Russia,

Hungary and Slovakia are seeking ways to make payments for Russian gas that were thrown into uncertainty by new U.S. sanctions on Russia's Gazprombank, officials said on Wednesday.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has announced that Slovakia is holding "very intensive" talks to ensure Ukraine continues the Russian gas transit in 2025. Source: Voice of America Details: The gas transit contract between Ukraine and Russia is set to expire on 1 January 2025 and Ukraine has stated it does not plan to extend the agreement.