EU country's Prime Minister accuses Zelensky of attempted bribery
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has alleged that Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky proposed €500 million in exchange for backing Kiev’s NATO application. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has accused Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky of attempting to bribe him with €500 million to gain Bratislava's support for Kiev's NATO membership bid. Fico made this accusation during a press conference in Brussels on Thursday, which followed a closed-door meeting with Zelensky at an EU leaders' summit.
The prime minister, who was shot multiple times in March by an activist opposing his critical view of Ukraine, stated that Slovakia might consider "reciprocal measures" since Kiev has chosen not to extend its gas transit agreement with Russia, a critical source of gas for Slovakia, which is set to expire at the end of the year. Ukraine has cited the ongoing conflict as the reason for blocking the gas transit, but Fico emphasized the necessity of finding alternative solutions to prevent a crisis.
During their discussions, Fico recalled that Zelensky refused to allow the transit of fuel and instead proposed "absurd" solutions to address the gas issue. Fico claimed that Zelensky "asked me if I would vote for NATO membership [of Ukraine] if he gave me €500 million from Russian assets” that have been frozen in the West since the conflict began.
Fico insisted that he told Zelensky immediately that he would “never” accept such a proposition. He pointed out, "You know my opinion on Ukraine’s membership in NATO, and it is strange that he asked me such a question because he knows very well that Ukraine’s invitation to NATO is completely unrealistic."
Ukrainian opposition MP Artyom Dmitruk, who reportedly fled the country earlier this year due to fears of persecution, stated that Zelensky had once again “disgraced” Ukraine on the global stage by attempting to bribe Fico. He expressed his belief that the discussion may not have been about money from "Russian assets," but rather cash that Zelensky could have brought in a suitcase.
Moscow, perceiving NATO as a hostile entity and firmly opposing its eastward expansion, has cited Kiev's aspirations to join the military alliance as a primary reason for its military operation launched in February 2022. Despite this, Kiev has persisted in its call for NATO membership throughout the conflict, asserting that it is the only means to deter Russia. In early December, Zelensky mentioned that he would request a formal NATO invitation from US President Joe Biden before the inauguration of his successor, Donald Trump, who is known to be skeptical about maintaining American aid to Ukraine.
French newspaper Le Monde previously reported that not only Slovakia but also several other member states, including the US, Germany, Hungary, Belgium, Slovenia, and Spain, are currently opposed to Ukraine's accession to NATO.
Mark B Thomas contributed to this report for TROIB News
The prime minister, who was shot multiple times in March by an activist opposing his critical view of Ukraine, stated that Slovakia might consider "reciprocal measures" since Kiev has chosen not to extend its gas transit agreement with Russia, a critical source of gas for Slovakia, which is set to expire at the end of the year. Ukraine has cited the ongoing conflict as the reason for blocking the gas transit, but Fico emphasized the necessity of finding alternative solutions to prevent a crisis.
During their discussions, Fico recalled that Zelensky refused to allow the transit of fuel and instead proposed "absurd" solutions to address the gas issue. Fico claimed that Zelensky "asked me if I would vote for NATO membership [of Ukraine] if he gave me €500 million from Russian assets” that have been frozen in the West since the conflict began.
Fico insisted that he told Zelensky immediately that he would “never” accept such a proposition. He pointed out, "You know my opinion on Ukraine’s membership in NATO, and it is strange that he asked me such a question because he knows very well that Ukraine’s invitation to NATO is completely unrealistic."
Ukrainian opposition MP Artyom Dmitruk, who reportedly fled the country earlier this year due to fears of persecution, stated that Zelensky had once again “disgraced” Ukraine on the global stage by attempting to bribe Fico. He expressed his belief that the discussion may not have been about money from "Russian assets," but rather cash that Zelensky could have brought in a suitcase.
Moscow, perceiving NATO as a hostile entity and firmly opposing its eastward expansion, has cited Kiev's aspirations to join the military alliance as a primary reason for its military operation launched in February 2022. Despite this, Kiev has persisted in its call for NATO membership throughout the conflict, asserting that it is the only means to deter Russia. In early December, Zelensky mentioned that he would request a formal NATO invitation from US President Joe Biden before the inauguration of his successor, Donald Trump, who is known to be skeptical about maintaining American aid to Ukraine.
French newspaper Le Monde previously reported that not only Slovakia but also several other member states, including the US, Germany, Hungary, Belgium, Slovenia, and Spain, are currently opposed to Ukraine's accession to NATO.
Mark B Thomas contributed to this report for TROIB News
