Slovakia has expressed interest in sourcing natural gas from Romania's Neptun Deep offshore project, as the country prepares for the termination of Russian gas supplies next year, Prime Minister Robert Fico announced on Friday.

During a joint televised briefing in Bucharest with Romanian Prime Minister Ion-Marcel Ciolacu, Fico stated, "We have conveyed our interest and indicated that if Romania intends to export this gas beyond its own borders—not just for domestic consumption—Slovakia is prepared to utilize existing infrastructure and would be commercially interested in acquiring this gas."

A Romanian official noted last month that Hungary and Germany have also shown interest in obtaining gas from the Black Sea project, though Romania hopes to prioritize domestic economic benefits from the resource.

Neptun Deep is one of the European Union's most significant natural gas fields, with estimated recoverable reserves of 100 billion cubic meters.

The project is jointly owned by Romanian oil and gas group OMV Petrom and state-owned natural gas producer Romgaz, with first gas production expected in 2027.

Despite EU efforts to end dependence on Russian energy following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Slovakia continues to rely on Russian oil and gas supplies.

The EU plans to phase out Russian gas imports by the end of 2027.

Last year, approximately one-third of Slovakia's natural gas came from Russia, but the country is seeking to increase this share before the EU ban takes effect.