Slovakia's PM says he visited Putin because of Ukraine's refusal to continue gas transit

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has said that the reason for his trip to Russia in late December was Ukraine's refusal to extend Russian gas transit after 2024.

Source: Fico in an speech on Wednesday, 8 January, as reported by European Pravda, citing the Slovak news outlet TASR

Details: Fico once again accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of "sabotaging the financial interests of Slovakia and the EU" by refusing to continue the transit of Russian gas.

He confirmed that he will meet with European Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen in Brussels on Thursday, 9 January and do "everything possible to wake him up from his sweet sleep".

Quote from Fico: "Neither Slovakia nor the EU is at war. We have no reason to put up with Zelenskyy's ventures, especially considering the assistance that Slovakia and the EU provide to Ukraine." 

Details: Fico then mentioned his controversial trip to Moscow and meeting with Vladimir Putin, insisting that he had been forced to go because of Ukraine's decision on gas transit.

He said he had to secure gas for Slovakia's domestic consumption at least, and that they had managed to do this without increasing gas prices, although he did not specify how he planned to procure the gas.

The agreement between Ukraine and Russia on gas transit to Europe expired at the end of 2024 after the Ukrainian side decided not to extend it.

Background:

• Robert Fico has been extremely critical of Kyiv for terminating the transit of Russian gas and has written to EU leaders to express his dissatisfaction with Ukraine’s actions.
• He has also threatened to retaliate by cutting off electricity supplies or reducing assistance to Ukrainian refugees in Slovakia.

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