Ukraine’s Zelenskiy hits again at Slovak PM Fico as gasoline transit dispute deepens

By Max Hunder

(Reuters) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy accused Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico on Saturday of opening a “second power entrance” in opposition to Ukraine on the orders of Russia, as a gasoline transit dispute between the international locations deepened.

Ukraine pumps Russian pure gasoline by way of its territory to a number of European international locations together with Slovakia, however it’s anticipated to halt the move when the present transit deal – signed earlier than Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine – expires on the finish of the yr.

Fico, who visited Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow earlier this week, stated on Friday Slovakia would take into account reciprocal measures in opposition to Ukraine equivalent to halting back-up electrical energy provides if Kyiv stops the gasoline transit from Jan. 1.

“It seems that Putin gave Fico the order to open the second power entrance in opposition to Ukraine on the expense of the Slovak folks’s pursuits,” Zelenskiy wrote on the X social media platform.

Slovakia desires to keep up Russian gasoline provides by way of Ukraine, saying different routes would hike prices and hit its personal transit operations, inflicting it to lose 500 million euros in charges.

Ukraine has stated it is not going to signal any new deal for gasoline transit with Moscow as a result of invasion launched by Russia in February 2022.

Ukraine has been pressured to import electrical energy from a number of of its neighbours since Russia started concentrating on its energy grid in late 2022, damaging or destroying a lot of the nation’s non-nuclear era capability.

Zelenskiy stated Slovakia at the moment accounted for 19% of Ukraine’s energy imports, and that Ukraine was working with its European Union neighbours to bolster the provision.

“Slovakia is a part of the one European power market and Fico should respect widespread European guidelines,” he wrote, including that reducing energy provides to Ukraine would deprive Slovakia of $200 million a yr.

Ukraine’s International Ministry stated in a press release that Fico was siding with Putin by making “mindless threats” to chop off Ukraine’s energy imports.

Since taking workplace in 2023, Fico has been one of many EU’s most outspoken opponents of army assist to Ukraine.

After his talks in Moscow, Fico stated Putin had confirmed Russia’s willingness to proceed to provide gasoline to Slovakia, though this was “virtually not possible” as soon as the transit deal expires.