“Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky allegedly offered him a bribe of 500 million euros from Russian assets in exchange for Ukraine’s support for NATO membership.”, — write: www.pravda.com.ua
Source: Politico
Details: Fico claims that during the meeting with Zelensky at the European Union summit, they discussed Slovakia’s financial losses due to the cessation of Russian gas transit.
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Literally: “Fico said that after he told Zelensky that Slovakia could lose about 500 million euros in gas transit fees a year, the Ukrainian president “asked me if I would then vote for NATO membership if he gave me 500 million euros of Russian assets, and of course I said: “never”.
Details: Fico told reporters that Zelenskyi’s proposals, made behind closed doors, were “absurd” and suggested that Ukraine allowed itself to harm the economy of an EU member.
“We are clearly facing a gas crisis thanks to President Zelensky,” the prime minister of Slovakia said during a press conference on the eve of the summit, without clarifying what he meant.
The day before, as the Slovak mass media reported, Fico talked about the conversation with Zelensky regarding the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine.
“We have disagreements on the issue of gas transit through Ukraine. I asked him if he would be ready to transit gas other than Russian,” Fico said.
According to him, Zelensky ruled out the possibility that Ukraine can transit any gas. “He asked if we could imagine paying for gas that finances the war,” Fizo described the conversation.
“We see no reason to pay more for gas due to geopolitical circumstances,” the Slovak prime minister said at a press conference on December 13, accusing the West of pressure on gas transit.
Zelensky criticized Slovakia, saying: “It’s a shame to talk about money because we’re losing people.”
Prehistory:
- The contract between Ukraine and Russia for gas transit expires on January 1, 2025. Ukraine stated that it does not plan to extend the contract.
- The Prime Minister of Ukraine, Denys Shmyhal, in a conversation with the Prime Minister of Slovakia, confirmed that Kyiv rules out the extension of the transit agreement with Gazprom, but noted that Ukraine is not against transporting gas through its GTS, if it is not from Russia.
- Zelensky confirmed that Ukraine is not considering renewing the agreement with Gazprom on the transit of Russian gas to Europe, and also made it clear that Kyiv will not agree to pump Russian gas under the guise of Azerbaijani gas.
- The European Union has already prepared to stop transit. The share of Russian gas in Europe decreased to 6%, and the share of Russian gas passing through Ukraine to 4%.
- EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen confirmed that the EU is actively preparing for the full completion of gas cooperation with Russia. “Our main priority is to completely sever energy ties between the EU and Russia,” Jorgensen said.