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Fico: If Zelensky misled Slovakia regarding gas, we will take reciprocal measures

by AI | 31.Jan 2025 | Europe in brief AI

Robert Fico told Volodymyr Zelensky that if he is deceiving Slovakia, he can stop the EU’s financial aid.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico told V. Zelensky that Slovakia could stop financial aid to Kyiv.

Bratislava – If Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj “led Slovakia by the nose” in the matter of gas supplies, then the Slovak government will take reciprocal measures, for example in terms of EU financial aid to Ukraine. Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) stated this on Thursday on social media in connection with the closure of the airspace above the Brussels airport for technical reasons, and the scheduled meeting that he would have missed due to the delay. TASR reports.

The missed Thursday meeting of the Prime Minister with the representatives of the European Commission (EC) regarding the cessation of the transit of Russian natural gas on the territory of the Slovak Republic should, according to him, be repeated on Monday (3/2), when an extraordinary EU summit dedicated to defense issues is held in Brussels.

According to the original program, the Prime Minister was supposed to discuss the transit of gas through Ukraine to Slovakia and Central Europe with the European Commissioner for Energy, Dan Jørgensen, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.

“If I see that Zelenskyj led us by the nose, I will proceed with reciprocity in the next measure, such as financial aid for Ukraine,” clarified Fico. After the previous meeting with Jørgensen in Brussels (9.1), the Prime Minister already indicated that he could use his veto right in the EU Council when voting on further financial aid for Ukraine as a retaliatory measure against Kyiv.

On Thursday, Fico emphasized that the decision of the Ukrainian president to stop the transit of gas through Ukraine has “catastrophic” impacts.

“Today, the price of one megawatt-hour of gas was 53 euros compared to the USA, where it is eight or nine euros. The difference is huge,” the Prime Minister highlighted. “We are surviving for now in terms of domestic consumption. However, we will have problems filling the storage tanks at the end of this year for 2026. Above all, however, we are losing enormous money in terms of transit fees,” Fico added. (January 30)

“If I see that Zelenskyj led us by the nose, I will proceed with reciprocity in the next measure, such as financial aid for Ukraine.” Robert Fico.