“Moscow provides significant discounts to Fico, but Slovakia pays for them. Such discounts are not free—payments to Russia are made through sovereignty or murky schemes.”
Zelenskyy said that details of this financing were revealed during the European leaders’ meeting in Brussels on Thursday Dec. 19.
“Leaders observed that Mr. Fico does not want to participate in the common European work on energy independence or seek replacement for Russian gas, but rather wants to assist Russia in pushing American gas and energy resources of other partners away from Europe, implying that he wants to help Putin earn money to fund the war and weaken Europe,” said Zelenskyy.
After the meeting, Fico said Putin “confirmed Russia’s readiness to continue supplying gas to Slovakia,” although that will ultimately depend on Kyiv’s decision.
Hundreds of people gathered in front of Slovakia’s government office in Bratislava on Monday afternoon to protest Fico’s trip to Moscow.
“Through Fico, Putin is strengthening Russia’s waning influence, propaganda and hybrid war against Slovakia and its true allies,” the organizer of the protest, called “Enough of Russia,” told Czech media Novinky.