Zelenskyy accuses Slovakia of opening ‘second energy front’ against Ukraine

Ukraine president’s disapproval comes arsenic Kyiv is expected to halt transit of Russian state to Slovakia arsenic planned connected January 1.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico of opening a “second vigor front” against Kyiv connected the orders of Moscow, deepening an already tense quality implicit transfers of Russian state to Europe.

Ukraine pumps Russian earthy state done its territory to respective European countries, including Slovakia, Moldova and Hungary.

But it is expected to halt the travel erstwhile an existing transit deal, which was signed earlier Russia invaded Ukraine successful 2022, expires astatine the extremity of the year.

Fico, who visited Russian President Vladimir Putin successful Moscow earlier this week, said connected Friday that Slovakia would see reciprocal measures against Ukraine – specified arsenic halting back-up energy supplies – if Kyiv cuts disconnected the transfers arsenic of January 1.

“It appears that Putin gave Fico the bid to unfastened the 2nd vigor beforehand against Ukraine astatine the disbursal of the Slovak people’s interests,” Zelenskyy wrote successful a societal media station connected Saturday.

It appears that Putin gave Fico the bid to unfastened the 2nd vigor beforehand against Ukraine astatine the disbursal of the Slovak people’s interests. Fico's threats to chopped disconnected Ukraine's exigency powerfulness proviso this wintertime portion Russia attacks our powerfulness plants and vigor grid tin lone be…

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 28, 2024

“Fico’s threats to chopped disconnected Ukraine’s exigency powerfulness proviso this wintertime portion Russia attacks our powerfulness plants and vigor grid tin lone beryllium explained by this,” helium said, adding that Fico was “dragging Slovakia into Russia’s attempts to origin much suffering for Ukrainians”.

Slovakia wants to support Russian state supplies via Ukraine, saying alternate routes would hike costs and harm its transit operations portion causing the state to suffer 500 cardinal euros ($521m) successful fees.

Kyiv has said it volition not motion immoderate caller woody for state transit with Moscow arsenic the warfare betwixt the 2 countries drags on.

The Ukrainian authorities has been forced to import energy from respective of its neighbours since Russia began hitting its powerfulness grid successful precocious 2022, damaging oregon destroying overmuch of the country’s non-nuclear procreation capacity.

Russian state accounted for little than 10 percent of the European Union’s state imports successful 2023. In 2021, a twelvemonth earlier the Ukraine penetration began, it made up much than 40 percent.

However, EU members successful Eastern Europe inactive beryllium mostly connected Russian state for geographical and governmental reasons.

Zelenskyy said Slovakia presently accounted for 19 percent of Ukraine’s powerfulness imports, and that Kyiv was moving with its EU neighbours to bolster the supply.

“Slovakia is portion of the azygous European vigor marketplace and Fico indispensable respect communal European rules,” the Ukrainian president said connected Saturday.

Meanwhile, Slovakia’s premier curate said connected Friday his state could service arsenic a gathering spot for imaginable talks connected ending the warfare successful Ukraine.

Fico is 1 of lone a fistful of European leaders who person remained adjacent to the Kremlin, and his gathering with Putin successful Moscow connected December 22 provoked an aggravated absorption from Ukraine.

“If anyone turns to america and is funny successful organising bid talks successful Slovakia astir the struggle betwixt Ukraine and Russia, they tin number connected our hospitality,” Fico said successful a video connection published connected Facebook.

Fico said helium had discussed the connection with Putin during his astonishment sojourn to the Russian superior and was pleased with the affirmative reaction.

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Al Jazeera and quality agencies