PRAGUE, Dec 30 (Reuters) - The Czech Republic is ready to provide Slovakia with gas transit and storage capacities to help it secure stable supplies if Ukraine ends a transit deal for Russian gas at the end of the year as expected, the Czech Industry Ministry said on Monday.

Industry Minister Lukas Vlcek has written to his Slovak counterpart to say the Czech Republic could provide additional capacity, both in this heating season and on a long-term basis, the ministry said.

Slovakia, which has a long-term contract with Russia's Gazprom, has sought to retain gas flows through Ukraine although Kyiv has refused to extend a transit deal with Moscow because of the ongoing Ukraine war.

Vlcek said alternative supplies to the region would become more affordable after Germany agreed to exempt countries transiting gas from a domestic gas levy from Jan. 1.

The Czech Republic is among the European countries that no longer buys gas directly from Russia, but the cost of the German levy had made it rely increasingy on cheaper gas via Slovakia, potentially of Russian origin, in recent months.

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https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/czechs-ready-help-slovakia-when-ukraine-gas-transit-deal-ends-2024-12-30/