Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has harshly criticised Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico for his unannounced visit to Moscow, where he held talks with Vladimir Putin on Sunday. The main topic of the meeting, according to media reports, was the issue of Russian gas supplies to Slovakia.
“Why is this leader so dependent on Moscow?”
On Monday, Zelensky called Fico’s actions “a big security problem for Slovakia and the whole of Europe”.
“Why is this leader so dependent on Moscow? What is he being offered and how does he pay for it?” the Ukrainian president wrote on social network X (formerly Twitter).
Zelenskyy pointed out that after the meeting in the Kremlin, the parties did not make any joint statement and did not answer questions from journalists. “They are simply afraid of the public’s reaction,” he added.
“Discount price from Moscow”
According to Zelenskyy, the significant discounts on Russian gas that Moscow offers Slovakia are actually paid for “by the country’s sovereignty or through non-transparent schemes.”
The President also stressed that the issue of financing such agreements was raised during the recent meeting of European leaders in Brussels. He noted that Fico does not support the EU’s common policy on energy independence and actively obstructs efforts to find alternative gas supplies.
“It’s not just about gas”
Zelenskyy stressed that such actions by the Slovak prime minister help Russia finance the war against Ukraine and weaken European unity.
“Fico is actually supporting Russian efforts to oust American gas and resources from other partners from the European market, which helps Putin to obtain funds for the war,” Zelensky said.
Fico: gas instead of aid to Ukraine
Robert Fico’s visit to Moscow has caused outrage among Western allies. This is the first meeting of this level between a European leader and the Russian president since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Fico, who has been head of the Slovak government since last autumn, has stopped all military aid to Ukraine. He, like Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, is in favour of negotiations with Russia and maintaining economic ties with Moscow.
Critical dependence on gas
Slovakia and Hungary are among the most dependent countries in Europe on Russian gas. Both countries have expressed concerns that supplies could be cut off completely after the expiration of the gas transit contract through Ukraine on 31 December.
Fico’s decision to seek an agreement with Putin is a cause for concern in the EU, which is seeking to reduce its dependence on Russian energy resources and avoid financing the war in Ukraine.
