The United Nations Refugee Agency said there were just over 130,000 Ukrainian refugees in Slovakia as of December 8.

Slovakia could take retaliatory measures against Ukraine after Kyiv halted the flow of Russian gas through its territory, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico warned Thursday.

Despite EU efforts to reduce dependence on Russian fossil fuels, Slovakia remains reliant on Russian gas under a long-term contract with Russia's state-owned energy giant Gazprom. Switching to alternative supply routes could cost Slovakia an additional €220 million ($229 million) in transit fees.

Slovakia has alternative gas supplies but Fico, who has ended military aid to Ukraine and sought warmer relations with Moscow, says Slovakia will lose its own transit revenues and pay additional transit fees to bring in non-Russian gas. He has also said European gas and power prices would rise as a result of Ukraine's actions.

Austria has insisted it is well prepared for the stoppage, but Slovakia has threatened to cut electricity supplies to neighboring Ukraine.

Russia halted gas supplies to Europe after Ukraine declined to renew a transit deal. Slovakia is considering retaliation against Ukraine. While the EU claims no immediate energy crisis, non-EU countries like Moldova face severe shortages and heating issues,