Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico’s dependency on Moscow and unwillingness to replace Russian gas is a “big security issue” for Europe, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said.
In a statement posted online, the Ukrainian leader said Fico did not want to participate “in the common European work on energy independence or seek replacement for Russian gas”, but rather wanted to assist Russia.
He said this “implied that he wants to help Putin earn money to fund the war and weaken Europe”.
“We are losing people as a result of the war that Putin started, and we believe that such assistance to Putin is immoral,” Zelenskyy said.
“Mr Fico even refused compensations to ease the transition period and get rid of dependence, meaning it is not a security issue for him.”
The Ukrainian leader accused Fico of being “interested specifically in the Russian gas”.
“This is indeed a big security issue – both for Slovakia and the entire Europe,” he added.
“Why is this leader so dependent on Moscow? What is being paid to him, and what does he pay with?”
For context: We reported earlier that Putin yesterday hosted Fico in a rare visit to the Kremlin (see post at 6.52am).
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the talks were expected to focus on “the international situation” and Russian natural gas deliveries.
Russian natural gas still flows through Ukraine to some European countries, including Slovakia, under a five-year agreement signed before the war that is due to expire at the end of this year.
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