Ukraine’s Zelenskiy hits again at Slovak PM Fico as fuel transit dispute deepens Through Reuters

Through Max Hunder

(Reuters) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy accused Slovakia’s Top Minister Robert Fico on Saturday of opening a “2nd power entrance” in opposition to Ukraine at the orders of Russia, as a fuel transit dispute between the international locations deepened.

Ukraine pumps Russian thru its territory to a number of Eu international locations together with Slovakia, however it’s anticipated to halt the glide when the present transit deal – signed ahead of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine – expires on the finish of the 12 months.

Fico, who visited Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow previous this week, stated on Friday Slovakia would believe reciprocal measures in opposition to Ukraine akin to halting back-up electrical energy provides if Kyiv stops the fuel transit from Jan. 1.

“Apparently that Putin gave Fico the order to open the second one power entrance in opposition to Ukraine on the expense of the Slovak other folks’s pursuits,” Zelenskiy wrote at the X social media platform.

Slovakia needs to care for Russian fuel provides by means of Ukraine, announcing other ways would hike prices and hit its personal transit operations, inflicting it to lose 500 million euros in charges.

Ukraine has stated it’ll now not signal any new deal for fuel transit with Moscow because of the invasion introduced by means of Russia in February 2022.

Ukraine has been pressured to import electrical energy from a number of of its neighbours since Russia started focused on its energy grid in past due 2022, harmful or destroying a lot of the rustic’s non-nuclear era capability.

Zelenskiy stated Slovakia these days accounted for 19% of Ukraine’s energy imports, and that Ukraine used to be running with its Eu Union neighbours to reinforce the provision.

“Slovakia is a part of the only Eu power marketplace and Fico will have to admire commonplace Eu laws,” he wrote, including that chopping energy provides to Ukraine would deprive Slovakia of $200 million a 12 months.

Ukraine’s International Ministry stated in a observation that Fico used to be siding with Putin by means of making “mindless threats” to bring to an end Ukraine’s energy imports.

Since taking workplace in 2023, Fico has been one of the vital EU’s maximum outspoken combatants of army support to Ukraine.

After his talks in Moscow, Fico stated Putin had showed Russia’s willingness to proceed to offer fuel to Slovakia, even if this used to be “almost not possible” as soon as the transit deal expires.