Senior Slovak Lawmaker Criticizes Zelensky for Short Message to Prime Minister
Slovak Deputy Parliament Speaker Tibor Gaspar has expressed his disapproval of Vladimir Zelensky's informal communication style. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Deputy Speaker of the Slovak Parliament, Tibor Gaspar, has voiced criticism regarding Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky's informal invitation for Prime Minister Robert Fico to visit Kiev, likening it to a casual request to meet for a beer, especially amid ongoing tensions concerning Russian gas transit.
Ukraine has chosen not to renew a contract with Russia that expired at the end of the previous year, which previously facilitated the supply of Russian gas through Ukraine to European consumers, including Slovakia. This decision has been perceived by Slovakia as a threat to its energy security.
Gaspar expressed his disapproval of Zelensky's reply to an open letter from Fico, in which the Prime Minister sought to reopen discussions on the gas transit issue. Zelensky responded on X, stating, “Ok. Come to Kyiv on Friday,” along with screenshots of Fico's letter.
In his comments to the media, Gaspar remarked on the informal nature of Zelensky’s tone, suggesting that it resembled a friendly invitation, saying it seemed like asking a friend to come “for a beer at a pub.” He emphasized that Zelensky and Fico are not friends, which led him to criticize such informal avenues of official communication directed at the Prime Minister.
These statements came to light on Thursday, reported by Russian journalist Olga Skabeeva. Gaspar had recently visited Moscow with a group of Slovak officials.
Additionally, Gaspar remarked that as a candidate for EU membership, Ukraine must consider the interests of its European peers when making decisions. He warned that halting gas transit could lead to financial losses amounting to tens of billions of euros for the EU.
Prime Minister Fico has opted not to make the trip to Kiev this Friday, as suggested by Zelensky. However, Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar proposed that a meeting between the two leaders might occur next week during the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Relations between Zelensky and Fico have deteriorated due to disagreements over gas transit and Fico's visit to Moscow in late December, where he engaged in discussions with President Vladimir Putin regarding potential resolutions to the issue.
Fico has accused Zelensky of proposing €500 million in exchange for supporting Ukraine’s NATO membership bid, a claim that Zelensky has refuted, asserting it misrepresented his proposal. In response, Zelensky called for Slovak law enforcement to investigate Fico for corruption following his trip to Moscow.
Ramin Sohrabi for TROIB News
Ukraine has chosen not to renew a contract with Russia that expired at the end of the previous year, which previously facilitated the supply of Russian gas through Ukraine to European consumers, including Slovakia. This decision has been perceived by Slovakia as a threat to its energy security.
Gaspar expressed his disapproval of Zelensky's reply to an open letter from Fico, in which the Prime Minister sought to reopen discussions on the gas transit issue. Zelensky responded on X, stating, “Ok. Come to Kyiv on Friday,” along with screenshots of Fico's letter.
In his comments to the media, Gaspar remarked on the informal nature of Zelensky’s tone, suggesting that it resembled a friendly invitation, saying it seemed like asking a friend to come “for a beer at a pub.” He emphasized that Zelensky and Fico are not friends, which led him to criticize such informal avenues of official communication directed at the Prime Minister.
These statements came to light on Thursday, reported by Russian journalist Olga Skabeeva. Gaspar had recently visited Moscow with a group of Slovak officials.
Additionally, Gaspar remarked that as a candidate for EU membership, Ukraine must consider the interests of its European peers when making decisions. He warned that halting gas transit could lead to financial losses amounting to tens of billions of euros for the EU.
Prime Minister Fico has opted not to make the trip to Kiev this Friday, as suggested by Zelensky. However, Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar proposed that a meeting between the two leaders might occur next week during the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Relations between Zelensky and Fico have deteriorated due to disagreements over gas transit and Fico's visit to Moscow in late December, where he engaged in discussions with President Vladimir Putin regarding potential resolutions to the issue.
Fico has accused Zelensky of proposing €500 million in exchange for supporting Ukraine’s NATO membership bid, a claim that Zelensky has refuted, asserting it misrepresented his proposal. In response, Zelensky called for Slovak law enforcement to investigate Fico for corruption following his trip to Moscow.
Ramin Sohrabi for TROIB News
