Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to negotiations over the halted transit of natural gas through Ukraine. Kyiv ceased the gas flow at the start of 2025 following the expiration of a contract with Russia, leaving Slovakia and other European nations scrambling to secure energy supplies.
In an open letter published on Monday, Fico accused Zelensky’s government of causing significant damage to Ukraine, Slovakia, and the European Union. He highlighted the broader impact on the EU’s competitiveness and called for urgent negotiations to address the issue, proposing Slovakia as a potential venue for peace talks and technical discussions about the gas supply.
Fico’s letter reminded Zelensky of Slovakia’s historical solidarity with Ukraine, while emphasizing his government’s growing frustration with the halted gas transit and its economic consequences. He proposed a meeting near the Slovak-Ukrainian border and stressed the symbolic significance of using the Kyiv-Košice train connection for such a dialogue.
“I appeal to the Ukrainian side to actively participate in further negotiations and the work of a special working group created for this purpose,” he wrote.
Zelensky’s response, posted bluntly on social media platform X, was a terse, “Ok. Come to Kyiv on Friday.”
Ok. Come to Kyiv on Friday. pic.twitter.com/9lOSLCR7FD
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) January 13, 2025The gas transit dispute is the latest flashpoint in an already strained relationship between the two leaders. The impasse follows Fico’s December trip to Moscow, where he claimed to have secured assurances from Russian President Vladimir Putin that energy supplies to Slovakia would remain uninterrupted. However, without transit through Ukraine, logistical hurdles remain unresolved.
Fico has since taken a combative stance, threatening to cut off electricity exports to Ukraine, veto EU aid packages for Kyiv, and reduce support for Ukrainian refugees in Slovakia. He has also accused Zelensky of “begging and blackmailing” European nations for financial aid, escalating the war of words.
In response, Zelensky criticized Fico’s reliance on Russian energy as a “losing bet” that has dramatically backfired, jeopardizing European unity and energy security. He claimed Ukraine had offered Slovakia assistance in transitioning away from Russian energy dependency, an offer Fico allegedly dismissed.
“Many in Europe warned him that doing nothing and waiting was not an option,” Zelensky claimed, accusing his Slovak counterpart of now “resorting to PR, lies, and loud accusations to shift the blame away from himself onto someone else.”
A potential meeting to resolve the issue could have ramifications for much of Central and Eastern Europe, including Hungary which has also been impacted by the suspension of gas supply.
The halt in gas transit is not only a logistical and economic challenge but also a political litmus test for European unity in the face of the ongoing war in Ukraine. Slovakia stands to lose €500 million annually from the stoppage, while the EU grapples with broader energy security concerns as it reduces reliance on Russian gas.
