Slovakia’s prime minister has drawn criticism from throughout Europe and from his personal individuals after his shock go to to Moscow for face-to-face talks with Vladimir Putin on Sunday.
Robert Fico is simply the third EU chief to go to Mr Putin in Moscow for the reason that Russian president ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
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The Kremlin stated the 2 leaders mentioned “the worldwide scenario” and Russian pure fuel deliveries.
Russian pure fuel nonetheless flows by Ukraine and to another European international locations, together with Slovakia, below a five-year settlement signed earlier than the warfare that is because of expire on the finish of the yr.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy advised EU leaders final week that Ukraine had no intention of renewing the deal, which Mr Fico insisted would harm Slovakia and its pursuits.
He stated his go to to Moscow was a response to Mr Zelenskyy’s assertion and that Mr Putin had advised him that Russia was nonetheless able to ship fuel to the West.
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‘It smells like treason’
In Slovakia’s capital, Bratislava, individuals took to the streets to protest after the assembly, with banners in help of Ukraine in addition to unflattering depictions of Mr Fico on show.
One signal merely learn: “It smells like treason.”
A protester holds an indication which interprets as ‘it smells like treason’ throughout an anti-government demo in Slovakia, after the nation’s Prime Minister Robert Fico met Russia’s Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Pic: Reuters
Demonstrators on the protest. Pic: Reuters
Mr Zelenskyy stated the “unwillingness” proven by Mr Fico to switch Russian fuel is a “large safety difficulty” for Europe, and questioned the potential monetary incentives being provided to the Slovak chief.
“Why is that this chief so depending on Moscow? What’s being paid to him, and what does he pay with?,” Mr Zelenskyy stated.
In his nightly tackle on Monday, Mr Zelenskyy stated that Mr Fico had acquired a suggestion of compensation for losses from the expiring transit deal, however that he “didn’t need compensation for the Slovaks”.
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‘Menace to entire of Europe’
In an announcement, Ukraine’s international ministry stated the “weak point, dependence and short-sightedness” of Mr Fico’s power coverage is a “menace to the entire of Europe”.
The Slovak chief’s “persistent makes an attempt” to keep up power dependence on Moscow is “shocking” and represents a “shameful coverage of appeasement”, the Ukrainian ministry added.
The Czech authorities additionally criticised Mr Fico’s journey to Moscow, pointing to its personal resolution to wean itself off Russian power.
“It was the Czech authorities that secured independence from Russian power provides in order that we would not need to crawl in entrance of a mass assassin,” Czech international minister Jan Lipavsky stated.
