Zelenskyy on Slovak PM’s blackmail: ‘It appears that Putin gave Fico the order’

Threats of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico will not stop electricity imports to Ukraine. Instead, his policy could harm Slovakia itself, believes President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“It appears that Putin gave Fico the order to open the second energy front against Ukraine at the expense of the Slovak people’s interests. Fico’s threats to cut off Ukraine’s emergency power supply this winter while Russia attacks our power plants and energy grid can only be explained by this,” he said on X.

The president emphasized that Ukraine’s need for electricity imports arose only because of Russia’s occupation of the Zaporizhzhia NPP and the destruction of a significant part of Ukraine’s thermal and hydroelectric generation.

He added that thanks to energy workers and cooperation with the EU, the US, Britain, Norway, Japan, and other partners, a blackout in Ukraine was avoided.

Fico’s short-sighted policy left Slovakia without compensation for the loss of Russian gas, and now the country could lose at least $200 million annually that Ukraine pays for imported electricity, Zelenskyy notes.

“Yes, this critical import does not come free, and the cost is significant. Third, everyone in Europe, including the people of Slovakia, will find it much more profitable from every perspective to work with neighbours and the EU to increase Europe’s energy resource supply, including gas from America and other partners. Only this can reduce energy costs for the majority of families,” Zelensky wrote.

Slovakia’s share in Ukraine’s electricity imports is 19%. The Ukrainian government is working with its neighbors to maintain the necessary supply. Zelenskyy emphasizes that Slovakia is part of a single European energy market, and Fico must respect European rules.

“Any arbitrary decisions in Bratislava or Moscow’s orders to Fico regarding electricity cannot cut Ukraine’s power supply, but they can certainly cut current Slovak authorities’ ties to the European community,” he added.

Fico’s threats

On January 1, 2025, Ukraine will stop transiting Russian gas to Europe, affecting Slovakia, which depends on Russian gas.

Ukraine rejects any options to continue transit. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has emphasized that Ukraine can transport gas to Europe, but only if it is not Russian.

In response, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico threatened to cut off electricity supplies to Ukraine.

RBC-Ukraine reported that Fico’s threats to cut off electricity supplies would not affect Ukraine’s energy supply.