Kyiv (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy criticized Slovak Prime Minister Fico for supporting Putin, warning of risks to Slovakia’s energy interests.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has criticized Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and his collaboration with Vladimir Putin.
“It seems that Putin gave Fico the order to unlock the second energy front against Ukraine at the cost of the Slovak people’s interests. Fico’s threats to cut off Ukraine’s emergency power supply this winter while Russia strikes our power plants and energy grid can only be defined by this,”
he said.
It appears that Putin gave Fico the order to open the second energy front against Ukraine at the expense of the Slovak people’s interests. Fico's threats to cut off Ukraine's emergency power supply this winter while Russia attacks our power plants and energy grid can only be…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 28, 2024
Zelenskyy recalled that the only grounds Ukraine now requires to import electricity are Russia’s takeover of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant and “its use of missiles and “Shahid” drones to intentionally eliminate a large part of Ukraine’s heat and hydroelectric power generation.” Zelenskyy stressed that thanks to the heroic actions of Ukrainian energy workers and the life-saving collaboration with the European Union, the US the UK, Norway, Japan, and other allies Ukraine has operated to prevent a blackout.
“And now Fico is carrying Slovakia into Russia’s endeavours to cause more grief for Ukrainians,” he stated. “We need to remind Fico of three things. First and foremost, helping Russian aggression is totally immoral. Second, Fico’s myopic policy has already denied the Slovak people compensation for failing Russian gas transit. It now threatens to deprive the Slovaks of another $200 million per year, which Ukraine pays for the imported electricity,”
the President of Ukraine stated.
“Third, Europe, including Slovakia, will benefit from working with neighbours and the EU to increase its energy supply, including gas from America and other allies. Only this can lower energy costs for the majority of families,”
Zelenskyy stated.
Growing cooperation between Fico and Putin
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has been strengthening contacts with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, positioning Slovakia as a potential intermediary in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. On December 27, 2024, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was upset about the idea of weakening Russia as a “utopian” goal. He mentioned the decision by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to stop the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine, which he said could cause significant financial damage to both the European Union and Slovakia.
