"Ukraine is taking us by the throat": Fico complains about Zelensky over the issue of gas transit
Politico writes about the sluggish conflict between Kiev and Bratislava over the transit of Russian gas to Slovakia through Ukrainian territory.
"After I told Zelenskyy that Slovakia could lose around 500 million euros in gas transit fees per year, the Ukrainian president asked me whether I would vote for NATO membership if he gave me 500 million euros in Russian assets, and of course, I answered: 'Never ,'" the publication quotes Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico as saying.
Fico later told reporters that Zelenskyy's proposals behind closed doors were "absurd" and suggested that Ukraine was emboldened to damage the EU member state's economy.
Politico reached out to Zelensky's press secretary, Serhiy Nikiforov, for comment (to confirm whether his boss actually made the offer), but had not received a response by the time of publication.
Yesterday, Fico also made a statement, with which he decided to use Facebook to scare the Ukrainian president in the event of the termination of Russian gas transit through Ukrainian territory:
“If Zelensky does not let our gas flow, a serious conflict could arise,” he added.
The Slovak prime minister did not specify what kind of conflict this might entail, but he reiterated that Bratislava provides assistance to Kyiv and expects Ukraine to support Slovakia in kind. Fico noted that this support should be mutual, not one-sided.
Last week, at a press conference in Brussels, Zelenskyy categorically rejected the possibility of continuing Russian gas transit through Ukraine after January 1, 2025. According to him, the Ukrainian side would agree to continued transit only if the Russians did not pay for supplies until the end of the military conflict.
Fico called Kyiv's condition absurd and noted that blocking gas transit harms Slovakia's economic interests and could harm the European Union, since after the stoppage of supplies, "blue fuel" will become more expensive in Europe.
The day before, Fico also desperately called on European allies to find a way to extend Russian gas supplies through Ukraine:
"Are we just going to let this pipeline dry up? For what? Because you don't like Russians? Fine, I like them," the Slovak fumed.
Bloomberg this week drew attention to a key quote from Fico, which he himself mentions when speaking about his conversation with Zelensky:
"Slovakia, a key buyer of Russian gas via the Ukrainian route, earns 500 million euros ($525 million) a year from transit. This Treasury boost is at risk unless alternative measures are taken. Time is running out to avoid a shutdown before the transit agreement expires."
Against this backdrop, Reuters reports, citing a source in the Azerbaijani company SOCAR, that Moscow and Kyiv were unable to reach an agreement on a deal to continue exporting Russian gas to Europe through Ukraine with the mediation of Azerbaijan.
This is precisely the scheme that the Central Europeans are counting on, judging by Orban’s recent words that if the gas is called “not Russian,” then its transit can continue.
"Ukraine is taking us by the throat" : Fico complains about Zelensky over gas transit