Fico said that Slovakia could halt its humanitarian aid to Ukraine, cut or cancel social benefits for Ukrainian refugees, and cease emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine. He also suggested using veto power over EU decisions as leverage against Kyiv.
Ukraine initiated the meeting to address Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico's threats to halt electricity exports to Ukraine and cut support for Ukrainian refugees, Ukraine's envoy to the EU said.
A group of pro-government Slovak lawmakers plan to visit Moscow later in January to develop "dialogue" with Russia, according to Andrej Danko, the chair of the co-ruling far-right Slovak National Party (SNS) who will lead the delegation, the Slovak news agency TASR reported on Jan. 5.
Slovakia's state-controlled transmission system operator SEPS said it will continue supplying electricity to Ukraine as part of an emergency assistance contract.
Approximately 4,000 people assembled in Bratislava on Jan. 3 to protest Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico's pro-Russian policies, according to local media.
The announcement follows Robert Fico's earlier threats to cut off electricity exports to Ukraine.
"Turning energy into a weapon and cynical energy blackmail of partners is what deprived Russia of its most attractive and geographically accessible market," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Jan. 1.
Herman Halushchenko said Ukraine could compensate for any disruption by importing electricity from Romania and Poland.
Slovak Defense Minister Robert Kalinak said that Ukraine may need to cede some territory due to the realities on the ground, Slovak news agency TASR reported on Dec. 29.
Poland is ready to increase domestic electricity production if Slovakia halts the delivery of backup power supplies to Ukraine, an unnamed Polish official told Bloomberg on Dec. 29.
Zelensky said this was "the only possible meaning" of Fico's threats to cut off Ukraine's emergency power supply in the winter, given Russian attacks on power plants and the distribution network.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico announced on Dec. 27 that his government will evaluate potential reciprocal measures against Ukraine, including halting electricity supplies, if Ukraine stops the transit of Russian gas to Slovakia after January 1.
Responding to questions from journalists, Putin said that Slovakian officials "would be happy to provide their own country as a platform for negotiations. We are not opposed, if it comes to that. Why not? Since Slovakia takes such a neutral position."
The criticism followed Fico's meeting with Putin in Moscow on Dec. 22 to discuss gas supplies after Ukraine announced it would not extend its transit deal for Russian gas beyond Dec. 31.
Zelensky called Fico's pro-Russian energy policy "a big security issue" for Slovakia and Europe, asking: "Why is this leader so dependent on Moscow? What is being paid to him, and what does he pay with?"
The Czech government’s decision to wean itself off from Russian energy ensured that "we don't have to grovel before a mass murderer," Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said on Dec. 22, referring to Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico’s visit to Moscow.
"In a long conversation ... Putin and I exchanged views on the military situation in Ukraine, the possibilities of an early peaceful end to the war, and on mutual relations between the Slovak Republic and the Russian Federation, which I intend to standardize."
Key developments on Dec. 21-22: * For the first time, Ukraine attacks Russian positions using solely ground, FPV drones * Over 12,000 civilians killed in Ukraine during Russia's full-scale war, UN says * Two Russian airports suspend flights after Ukrainian drones target Kazan, media, officials report * Slovak PM Robert Fico meets with
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on December 22, according to the state-owned TASS news agency.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said he had "learned unofficially" of the upcoming visit.
President Volodymyr Zelensky reaffirmed the refusal during a press conference on Dec. 19, saying that Kyiv would not enable Moscow to earn additional revenue while continuing its war.
Slovakia currently imports 3 billion cubic meters of gas per year through Ukraine from Russia’s energy giant Gazprom.
Slovakia's state-owned energy company SPP and its partners in Hungary, Italy, and Austria called for continued gas transit through Ukraine in a declearation published on Dec. 17.
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced on Dec. 16 that the deal allowing Russian gas to transit through Ukraine will not be extended beyond the end of the year. His statement comes as several European countries intensify efforts to secure alternative energy supplies.
"When it comes to peace, I believe that realism must be maintained. Today, probably no sensible person in Europe believes that peace can be achieved without some partial territorial losses for Ukraine," Slovak President Peter Pellegrini said.
An undisclosed NATO source told the Ukrainian Suspilne outlet that the U.S. and Germany continue to oppose inviting Ukraine at the moment.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said he called European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen to convey to her his disagreement. The Slovak prime minister has repeatedly criticized the EU's support for Ukraine.
Slovakia's Ukraine-skeptic Prime Minister Robert Fico accepted Russian President Vladimir Putin's invitation to attend the Victory Day celebrations in Moscow next May, Fico announced on Nov. 27.
Michal Koudelka, the director of the Czech Security Information Service, said on Nov. 18 that Russia was behind a flurry of bomb threats made against schools in Czechia and Slovakia in recent months.
Slovensky plynarensky priemysel (SPP) may also consider a longer-term agreement, as it is also preparing to cut off Russian gas supplies through Ukraine.
Slovak President Peter Pellegrini recently rejected all four requests from Slovak citizens wishing to join Ukraine's armed forces, Slovak media source TASR reported on Nov. 3.
Talking to the propagandist sanctioned by Western countries, the prime minister of a NATO and EU member country discussed several topics, including the Nord Stream pipeline explosions and the supposed Western fatigue over the support of Ukraine.
