Eng
Esp

Copyright © 2024 Euromaidanpress.com

The work of Euromaidan Press is supported by the International Renaissance Foundation

When referencing our materials, please include an active hyperlink to the Euromaidan Press material and a maximum 500-character extract of the story. To reprint anything longer, written permission must be acquired from [email protected].

Privacy and Cookie Policies.

Pro-Russian Slovak PM Fico visits Putin as Ukraine refuses gas transit

Fico rushed to Moscow after Kyiv declared that Ukraine would not allow Moscow to earn additional billions from gas transit through Ukraine while continuing its aggression.
byYuri Zoria
23/12/2024
2 minute read
Russian President Vladimir Putin receives Slovak PM Robert Fico in Moscow on 22 December 2024. Photo: Facebook/Robert Fico
Pro-Russian Slovak PM Fico visits Putin as Ukraine refuses gas transit

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico held direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on 22 December 2024, Politico reports, as the Slovak leader sought to secure continued access to Russian gas supplies. Slovakia and Hungary receive Russian natural gas via pipelines crossing Ukraine, but Kyiv has announced it will not extend the transit agreement.

On December 19, Zelenskyy declared that Ukraine would not allow Moscow to “earn additional billions” from gas transit through Ukraine while continuing its aggression. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, only two other EU heads of government – Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán – have visited Putin. Both visits faced widespread condemnation, with the EU’s executive arm publicly rebuking Orbán’s self-declared peace mission.

Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov and Fico both termed the leftist-populist Slovak leader’s meeting with Putin as a “working visit.“

In a Facebook post following the meeting, Fico said he and Putin “exchanged views on the military situation in Ukraine, the possibility of an early peaceful end to the war, and mutual relations between the Slovak Republic and the Russian Federation, which I intend to standardize.”

Fico admitted visiting Putin “in response to Ukrainian President V. Zelenskyy, who replied to my personal question on Thursday that he was opposed to any transit of gas through Ukraine to our territory.”

In his Facebook post, Fico complained that Zelenskyy is also favoring sanctions against Russia’s nuclear program:

“With such attitudes, he is harming Slovakia financially and endangering the production of electricity in nuclear power plants in Slovakia, which is unacceptable,” he wrote.

Politico says Serbian President Aleksandr Vučić had previously hinted at the possibility of Fico’s Moscow visit, warning of potential reactions from EU leaders. Fico maintained that “the highest representatives” were informed of his trip in advance.

According to Politico, a senior advisor to Zelenskyy estimated that Slovakia earns approximately half a billion dollars annually from access to discounted Russian gas.

Related:

You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this.  We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society. A little bit goes a long way: for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month, you can help build bridges between Ukraine and the rest of the world, plus become a co-creator and vote for topics we should cover next. Become a patron or see other ways to support. Become a Patron!

To suggest a correction or clarification, write to us here

You can also highlight the text and press Ctrl + Enter

Please leave your suggestions or corrections here



    Euromaidan Press

    We are an independent media outlet that relies solely on advertising revenue to sustain itself. We do not endorse or promote any products or services for financial gain. Therefore, we kindly ask for your support by disabling your ad blocker. Your assistance helps us continue providing quality content. Thank you!