Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico will not travel to Kyiv for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He was invited to a meeting to discuss stopping the transit of Russian gas through Ukrainian territory.
Points of attention
- Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico refused to travel to Kyiv for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky due to the impossibility of meeting on the specified date.
- Fico proposed a meeting in Slovakia to discuss gas supplies to Europe through Ukraine and other important issues.
- The Slovak Prime Minister stressed the need for peaceful negotiations and avoiding escalation of tensions in relations.
- Zelensky invites Fico to Kyiv for talks, but is trying to resolve the situation through diplomatic means.
- The issue of Russian gas transit becomes relevant in the context of the completion of the contract between Ukrainian and Russian companies by the end of 2024.
Fico will not come to Kyiv on Friday
This was reported to Russian media by the Vice Speaker of the Slovak Parliament, Tibor Gaspar, who, together with the leader of the nationalist Slovak National Party, Andrey Danko, set off on a several-day trip to Russia.
What preceded this?
On January 13, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico published an appeal to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
According to Fico, the meeting could take place "preferably as soon as possible" on the territory of Slovakia near the state border with Ukraine.
Fico hypocritically emphasized that he would not respond to Zelensky's message of January 12 in order to "avoid further escalation of tensions."
In all my trips abroad, I emphasize the need for an immediate cessation of hostilities, support existing peace plans, and propose that peace negotiations at any level take place in Slovakia as well.
In response to Fico's statements, Zelensky invited the Slovak Prime Minister to Kyiv this Friday.
Ok. Come to Kyiv on Friday. pic.twitter.com/9lOSLCR7FD
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) January 13, 2025