
Duel at the pipeline
Slovaks are not cold yet. They still have gas in reserve until further notice. Since the New Year, the Ukrainians have closed the "tap", and Russian gas has not reached Bratislava.
The dispute between the two countries began after Kiev cut off the delivery of Russian gas to Europe following the termination of a transit agreement between Kiev and Moscow.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claims that Ukraine "fraternally" offered help to the Slovak people during the period of adjustment to the lack of gas transit from Russia, but that Bratislava responded with a negative reaction.
"It's good that Slovak Prime Minister Fico has finally returned from his vacation in a luxury hotel in Vietnam and is now in Bratislava. For him personally, it must be a challenge – to move from a luxurious life in an attempt to correct his own mistakes," Zelensky wrote on X.
Zelensky argues that it was a clear mistake for Fico to hope that his secret plans with Moscow would continue indefinitely.
"We offered to help the people of Slovakia during their adjustment to the absence of gas transit, but Fico arrogantly refused," Zelensky noted.
"The real problem is that he bet on Moscow, not on his own country, not on a united Europe and certainly not on common sense. From the beginning it was a losing bet," Zelenski told Fico.
He expressed hope that further diversification of energy sources in Europe, cooperation with the European Commission, and implementation of Trump's policy to increase US gas supplies to the continent will help address the challenges.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico announced last week that he had secured gas supplies to Slovakia during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Moscow last month, before Ukraine cut off gas transit from Russia.
Fico said that Slovakia will receive the gas it has committed to deliver from Russia, but that the problem for Bratislava is the interruption of transit of Russian gas through Slovakia to other Western European countries and the loss of transit fees.
Fico said that after stopping gas transit through Ukraine, alternative gas transit routes should be used, such as the pipeline through Hungary.
The Slovak Prime Minister reiterated that Slovakia will lose 500 million euros in taxes due to the interruption of gas transit. He said that by stopping the flow of gas through Ukraine, Europe would lose approximately 13,5 billion cubic meters of gas, which would put pressure on prices, which, according to him, are currently five times higher than in the United States.
Fico reminded that, if the situation does not change within a few weeks, he will initiate reciprocal measures against Ukraine, which he already announced on Thursday. As an example of reciprocal measures, Fico cited the interruption of the supply of electricity to Ukraine, the halting of humanitarian aid or even the veto of further aid to Ukraine from the EU, reports Politics.
Fico disappeared from public view after his visit to Putin on December 22. Slovak media reported that he was on vacation in Vietnam and staying at the luxury Capella Hanoi hotel.
He returned, and Zelensky accused him of arrogance and a pact with Moscow.
The rational Fico does not want gas at an abnormally high price, Zelensky "teaches him a lesson" and invites him to come to Kyiv for negotiations on Friday, writes "Politics" in the analysis.
If it weren't for two European leaders, the audience would have thought that the heads of two competing companies were fighting. It must not be lost sight of that there are serious interests behind everything, and "below the belt" hits are for an audience that is not in the mood for fun.