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 barely the third EU chief to go to Mr Putin in Moscow because the Russian president ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Ukraine newest:World doing ‘virtually nothing’ over Korean troops
The Kremlin stated the 2 leaders mentioned “the international situation” and Russian pure fuel deliveries.
Russian pure fuel nonetheless flows by way of Ukraine and to another European nations, together with Slovakia, underneath a five-year settlement signed earlier than the struggle that is because of expire on the finish of the 12 months.
Picture:
Vladimir Putin, proper, and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico shake palms throughout their assembly on the Kremlin in Moscow. Pic: AP
Volodymyr Zelenskyy informed 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 informed him that Russia was nonetheless able to ship fuel to the West.
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
0:24
Putin ‘prepared’ to speak to Trump
‘It smells like treason’
In Slovakia’s capital, Bratislava, individuals took to the streets to protest after the assembly, with banners in assist of Ukraine in addition to unflattering depictions of Mr Fico on show.
One signal merely learn: “It smells like treason.”
Picture:
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
Picture:
Demonstrators on the protest. Pic: Reuters
Mr Zelenskyy stated the “unwillingness” proven by Mr Fico to exchange Russian fuel is a “big security issue” for Europe, and questioned the potential monetary incentives being provided to the Slovak chief.
“Why is this leader so dependent on Moscow? What is 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 obtained a proposal of compensation for losses from the expiring transit deal, however that he “did not want compensation for the Slovaks”.
‘Risk to entire of Europe’
In an announcement, Ukraine’s international ministry stated the “weakness, dependence and short-sightedness” of Mr Fico’s power coverage is a “threat to the whole of Europe”.
The Slovak chief’s “persistent attempts” to take care of power dependence on Moscow is “surprising” and represents a “shameful policy of appeasement”, the Ukrainian ministry added.
The Czech authorities additionally criticised Mr Fico’s journey to Moscow, pointing to its personal determination to wean itself off Russian power.
“It was the Czech government that secured independence from Russian energy supplies so that we wouldn’t have to crawl in front of a mass murderer,” Czech international minister Jan Lipavsky stated.
