President Zelensky Accuses PM Fico of Prioritizing Personal Interests Over Ukraine‘s Fight for Survival
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has criticized his counterpart in Slovakia, Robert Fico, over what he sees as the prime minister’s self-serving geopolitical stance. In a Facebook video, Zelensky accused Fico of only caring about money, implying that the Slovak PM’s decisions may not be in the best interest of his own country.
"Ukraine is fighting for life, but Fico is fighting for money," Zelensky said in the video, posted on his official Facebook page. He went on to suggest that shadow agreements with Russian President Vladimir Putin could involve trading away state interests or lining one’s own pockets.
Zelensky’s remarks come after a meeting with Fico in Brussels last week where he insisted that Ukraine would not extend the transit of Russian gas through its territory. Zelensky also stated that Ukraine was prepared to handle the transit of any other gas at the request of the European Commission.
However, Zelensky claimed that Fico rejected the possibility of compensation for Slovak losses due to the Russian gas transit halt, as well as prospects for cooperation with the European Commission. "In Moscow, Fico seems to find more benefit," Zelensky opined, hinting at the reason behind Fico’s stance.
The meeting between Zelensky and Fico was part of a wider European tour by the Ukrainian president, during which he met with several other European leaders. Shortly after their meeting, Fico publicly refuted Zelensky’s claim that he had offered $500 million in exchange for Slovakia’s support for Ukraine’s NATO membership bid.
Adding to the intrigue, Fico paid a visit to Moscow yesterday, December 22, where he held talks with Putin, further fueling speculation about his geopolitical leanings. Despite the strained relations with Ukraine, Fico maintained that his visit to Moscow was focused on economic cooperation and gas transit issues.
