By Ben Aris in Berlin Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is becoming a major embarrassment for the EU plans tophase out all Russian gas imports by 2028. In a letter shared on social media and reported by European Pravda on July 16,

Slovakia is seeking an exemption that would allow it to fulfill its contract with Gazprom until it expires in 2034

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has written to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, criticising the EU's plan to phase out Russian gas by 1 January 2028 under the REPowerEU strategy and urging a delay in voting on the EU's 18th sanctions package against Russia.