Zelensky accuses Fico of opening energy front against Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on Saturday of opening a "second energy front" against Ukraine under orders from Russia, as a dispute over gas transit between the two countries escalated, according to Reuters.
"It seems that Putin instructed Fico to open a second energy front against Ukraine, to the detriment of the Slovak people’s interests. The only reasons Ukraine needs to import electricity now are Russia's occupation of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant and the deliberate use of Shahed missiles and drones to destroy much of Ukraine's thermal and hydroelectric energy production," Zelensky wrote on the social media platform X.
The Ukrainian president also noted that, thanks to the heroic efforts of energy workers and life-saving cooperation with the EU, the US, the UK, Norway, Japan, and other partners, Ukraine had managed to avoid a blackout.
It appears that Putin gave Fico the order to open the second energy front against Ukraine at the expense of the Slovak people’s interests. Fico's threats to cut off Ukraine's emergency power supply this winter while Russia attacks our power plants and energy grid can only be…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 28, 2024
According to Robert Fico, the decision to halt Russian gas transit through Ukraine is not just a political gesture but an extremely costly measure for the entire European Union, including Slovakia.
"In 2025-2026, the European Union will pay an additional 120 billion euros as a result of rising gas and electricity prices. Our competitiveness will once again collapse. Slovakia will lose around 500 million euros in transit fees, Ukraine nearly a billion, while Russia will likely lose only 2.5 billion euros. But, isn’t it right that we’ve punished the Russians again?" Fico stated, as quoted by TASR.
On Friday, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico announced that, after January 1, 2025, if Ukraine stops the Russian gas transit through its territory to Slovakia, the Bratislava government will consider reciprocal measures against Kyiv, including a potential halt in electricity deliveries, which Ukraine desperately needs, according to Agerpres. Fico had a disagreement with Zelensky over this issue at last week’s European Union Summit in Brussels. The matter was discussed by Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico with Russian President Vladimir Putin on December 22 in Moscow.
Earlier, Ukrainian representatives indicated that they do not plan to extend the agreement on Russian gas transit through Ukrainian territory, which expires on December 31.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
