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Bratislava – Negotiation on gas transit through Ukraine to Slovakia is possible, Ukraine and its President Volodymyr Zelensky are ready to negotiate with the Slovak side. The opposition supported Ukraine’s ambition to join the EU, but there was no talk about NATO membership. Representatives of PS spoke about this as a result of Friday’s (January 17) negotiations with Ukrainian officials at a press conference on Saturday, reports TASR.
“The main topic of our meetings and discussions with President Zelensky and representatives of the Ukrainian government was the gas transit and the possibilities of resuming this transit,” informed PS Chairman Michal Šimečka. “It is in our national interest, but also in our economic interest, to have good relations with Ukraine and to constructively resolve the issue of gas transit,” he added.
According to him, the President of Ukraine is ready to negotiate on the transit issue. “Of course, we are talking about the transit of non-Russian gas, but such technical solutions were also foreseen by the media proposals of the government,” Šimečka reminded. He called on the Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic Robert Fico (Smer-SD) to start negotiating a constructive agreement on a technical solution. However, he also called for a change in the style of communication.
He also pointed out that from the conversation with the Ukrainian president, it appeared that it was not the Ukrainian side that thwarted the already preliminary agreed solution, as the Prime Minister claims. “Yes, there were negotiations, but it was thwarted by the Prime Minister with his trip to Moscow and his attacks on President Zelensky,” added the leader of the opposition movement.
The former chief of Slovak diplomacy and member of the PS presidency Ivan Korčok added that it was clearly felt on the Ukrainian side that they appreciate the solidarity and help that Slovakia has provided to Ukraine in a difficult situation.
“However, at the same time, they are disappointed and disillusioned with the attacks and invectives that are being voiced by coalition politicians at the address of Ukrainians who are defending themselves against foreign aggression,” he added. According to him, the Slovak government “communicates with Ukraine as if it were our enemy”. Korčok also criticized the “enormous economic passivity” of the current government and reminded that none of its representatives has visited Kyiv so far. He emphasized that the intensity and quality of mutual Slovak-Ukrainian relations are significant for cooperation on the reconstruction of Ukraine after the end of the military conflict.
Representatives of PS also denied the words of Prime Minister Fico that during the conversation with Ukrainian representatives they expressed support for Ukraine’s entry into NATO.
“This was not discussed; we declared support for Ukraine’s integration ambitions in the case of the EU; it is also in our economic interest,” Šimečka explained. (January 18)
“The President of Ukraine is ready to negotiate on the transit issue. Of course, we are talking about the transit of non-Russian gas, but such technical solutions were also foreseen by the media proposals of the Slovak government. Michal Šimečka