“Fico also suggests that peace talks between Russia and Ukraine at any level take place in Slovakia”, — write: www.radiosvoboda.org
According to Fico, the meeting can take place “preferably as soon as possible” on the territory of Slovakia near the state border with Ukraine.
“Such a meeting will create good prerequisites for an open discussion about the supply of gas to Slovakia and other countries through the territory of Ukraine, about possible technical solutions taking into account the expiration of the contract between the relevant Ukrainian and Russian companies on December 31, 2024, about the impact of the termination of gas transit through Ukraine on the reduction of competitiveness the European economy and the development of bilateral Slovak-Ukrainian relations,” the statement reads.
Fico emphasized that he would not respond to Zelensky’s January 12 message to “avoid further escalation of tensions.”
“In all my trips abroad, I emphasize the need for an immediate cessation of hostilities, support the existing peace plans and propose that peace negotiations at any level take place in Slovakia as well,” the Slovak politician notes.
He emphasizes that Slovakia loses 500 million euros a year due to the termination of gas transit, and also, in his opinion, this affects “the competitiveness of the European Union, an organization to which Ukraine applies for membership.”
The day before, President Volodymyr Zelenskyi announced that Ukraine had offered its help to Slovakia during adaptation to the absence of gas transit from Russia, but the country’s Prime Minister Robert Fico “arrogantly refused.” Zelenskyi also believes that “it was Fico’s obvious mistake to hope that shadow schemes with Moscow would exist indefinitely.”
“Many people in Europe warned him that you can’t just do nothing and wait. Now he is trying to use PR, lies and loud accusations to shift the blame from himself to someone else,” said the post of the President of Ukraine dated January 12.
Zelensky believes that Fico “bet on Moscow, not on his country, not on united Europe, and not on common sense.”
Earlier, the President of Slovakia Peter Pellegrini refused to go on an official visit to Kyiv due to the fact that Ukraine stopped the supply of gas to his country.
On January 1, at 07:00 a.m., “in the interests of national security,” Ukraine stopped the transportation of Russian natural gas through its territory, after the expiration of the five-year transit contract with Russia.
About 13.5 billion cubic meters of gas were pumped through Ukraine last year, including about 3 billion cubic meters for Slovak consumption.
The EU has said there is no need to extend the transit contract through Ukraine and that countries receiving Russian gas have access to alternative supplies.