EU State's PM Calls Zelensky ‘a beggar and blackmailer’
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has criticized the Ukrainian leader for "roaming Europe" in search of financial support. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has criticized Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, stating that his “begging and blackmailing” must come to an end. The relationship between Slovakia and Ukraine became strained when Ukraine stopped the flow of Russian gas earlier this month.
At a meeting of the Slovak parliament’s foreign affairs committee on Friday, Fico expressed his frustration, saying, “I’m not here to hold hands with Zelensky, and I’ll admit, I’m sick of him sometimes.” He emphasized his discontent with Zelensky’s approach: “He roams Europe begging and blackmailing, asking others for money. This needs to stop.”
Fico has consistently voiced opposition to Western military assistance for Ukraine, asserting that a military victory over Russia is unattainable and advocating for a diplomatic resolution instead. Upon taking office in 2023, he halted military aid to Ukraine and pledged to veto Ukraine’s aspirational NATO membership.
The tensions were further exacerbated when Ukraine declined to renew its gas transit contract with Russia’s Gazprom past the end of 2024, significantly affecting several EU nations, including Slovakia, which relies on Russian gas for about 60% of its needs.
Fico has demanded compensation from Ukraine for the disruption and indicated potential retaliatory actions, such as cutting off electricity supplies and humanitarian assistance. According to figures from the Slovak grid operator, Slovakia exported 2.4 million megawatt-hours of electricity to Ukraine in the first 11 months of 2024.
“Neither Slovakia nor the EU is at war, we have no reason to tolerate Zelensky’s adventures, especially looking at the aid Slovakia and the EU are providing to Ukraine,” Fico stated in a video shared on Facebook.
Despite receiving reassurances from Moscow regarding the continuation of Russian gas supplies through the TurkStream pipeline, Fico indicated his intent to meet with Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen in Brussels “to wake him up from his sweet sleep, because we have a ‘bloody’ serious problem.” Fico and Jorgensen met on Thursday to discuss the implications of the gas cutoff on energy prices and agreed to continue consultations.
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
At a meeting of the Slovak parliament’s foreign affairs committee on Friday, Fico expressed his frustration, saying, “I’m not here to hold hands with Zelensky, and I’ll admit, I’m sick of him sometimes.” He emphasized his discontent with Zelensky’s approach: “He roams Europe begging and blackmailing, asking others for money. This needs to stop.”
Fico has consistently voiced opposition to Western military assistance for Ukraine, asserting that a military victory over Russia is unattainable and advocating for a diplomatic resolution instead. Upon taking office in 2023, he halted military aid to Ukraine and pledged to veto Ukraine’s aspirational NATO membership.
The tensions were further exacerbated when Ukraine declined to renew its gas transit contract with Russia’s Gazprom past the end of 2024, significantly affecting several EU nations, including Slovakia, which relies on Russian gas for about 60% of its needs.
Fico has demanded compensation from Ukraine for the disruption and indicated potential retaliatory actions, such as cutting off electricity supplies and humanitarian assistance. According to figures from the Slovak grid operator, Slovakia exported 2.4 million megawatt-hours of electricity to Ukraine in the first 11 months of 2024.
“Neither Slovakia nor the EU is at war, we have no reason to tolerate Zelensky’s adventures, especially looking at the aid Slovakia and the EU are providing to Ukraine,” Fico stated in a video shared on Facebook.
Despite receiving reassurances from Moscow regarding the continuation of Russian gas supplies through the TurkStream pipeline, Fico indicated his intent to meet with Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen in Brussels “to wake him up from his sweet sleep, because we have a ‘bloody’ serious problem.” Fico and Jorgensen met on Thursday to discuss the implications of the gas cutoff on energy prices and agreed to continue consultations.
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
