A gas interconnector linking Poland and Slovakia will be launched soon, Andrzej Duda, the Polish president, has said.
Duda paid a visit to Bratislava on Wednesday, where he held talks with his Slovak counterpart, Zuzana Caputova.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Caputova, Duda expressed satisfaction with what he called “neighbourly friendship” with Slovakia.
“I’m pleased that a gas interconnector will bring us together soon and will make it possible for mutual gas transfers where both Poland will be able to send gas to Slovakia and Slovakia will be able to send gas to Poland if there is a need to do so,” the Polish president said.
Caputova expressed hope that the gas interconnector will strengthen Slovakia’s energy independence and diversification of energy sources.
Referring to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, Caputova suggested that she and Duda could together visit European leaders who are reluctant to offer Ukraine the status of an EU candidate country.
“I have suggested to the president that we should together visit some Western leaders who present a more moderate stance when it comes to the European Union’s candidate status for Ukraine,” the Slovak head of state said.
Ukraine has already filled in the necessary documents, as required by the European Commission (EC), but the EC’s potential recommendation for granting the EU candidate status must be approved by EU leaders. A discussion of the issue is expected at an EU summit in late June.