Fico appoints a meeting with Zelensky: what is behind this step and how the talks may end
13 January 21:55
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to a meeting near the Slovak-Ukrainian state border. Fico published an appeal to the head of our state on his official Facebook page on January 13, reports
According to the Slovak official, Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s decision to stop gas transit through Ukraine to Slovakia and other consumers causes great harm to Ukraine, Slovakia, and the European Union in particular. It provokes a variety of reactions that are not conducive to either bilateral or multilateral relations.
“I do not intend to respond to your statement of Sunday, January 12, 2025, because I do not intend to further escalate tensions. I want to fully concentrate on resolving the situation related to the suspension of gas transit,” Fico said.
He added that the Slovak Republic loses 500 million euros a year due to the suspension of gas transit. In addition, Fico believes that the decision of the Ukrainian president to stop the transit of Russian gas affects the competitiveness of the European Union. That is why Fico wants to negotiate.
“I would like to continue a constructive and mutually respectful dialog with the Prime Minister of Ukraine, Mr. Shmyhal. Therefore, as the highest representative of the Slovak executive branch, let me invite you to the talks, preferably as soon as possible,” the Slovak Prime Minister emphasized.
Robert Fico invited Volodymyr Zelenskyy to meet with him on the territory of the Slovak Republic near the state border between Slovakia and Ukraine.
“It is symbolic that you could take advantage of the direct railroad connection from Kyiv to Košice, which is the result of joint efforts of our governments to reach Slovak territory,” Fico said.
He wants to discuss with the Ukrainian leader:
- gas supplies to Slovakia and other countries through the territory of Ukraine;
- possible technical solutions, given the expiration of the contract between the respective Ukrainian and Russian companies on December 31, 2024
- the impact of the termination of gas transit through Ukraine on the decline in the competitiveness of the European economy, as well as on the development of bilateral Slovak-Ukrainian relations.
What else did Fico talk about in his video address?
The politician also touched upon the issue of the Russian-Ukrainian war.
“I do not believe in the strategy that the continuation of mutual bloodshed in the war in Ukraine will lead to a stronger position of Ukraine in possible peace negotiations.
In all my foreign trips, I emphasize the need for an immediate cessation of hostilities, support the existing peace plans and suggest that peace talks at any level should be held in Slovakia as well,” Fico said.
Zelenskyy’s response to Fico’s proposal
Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded to Robert Fico’s offer to meet.
“Very well. Come to Kyiv on Friday (January 17 – ed.),” the Ukrainian leader wrote on his official page on the social network X.
Why the Prime Minister of Slovakia invited the Ukrainian President to urgent talks
About the reasons and motives that prompted Robert Fico to offer Volodymyr Zelenskyy an urgent meeting
In an exclusive commentary for 
, he explained that Slovakia has long offered itself as one of the key, or perhaps the key, intermediaries in ensuring the possible transit of Russian and other gas through Ukraine. In particular, that Robert Fico met with Denys Shmyhal several times. Fico visited both Ukraine and Moscow on this issue.
“I can’t say that Slovakia is personally critically dependent on Russian supplies today, but Slovakia makes a lot of money on transit. It earns about 500 million euros annually from the transit of Russian gas through its territory to other consumers. Therefore, Fico is critically interested, and in this part, Fico obviously has the same interests as Russia in preserving the directions and routes of its gas supplies to European markets. This is why Fico’s revival is understandable,” the political analyst said.
Ruslan Bortnik also emphasized that the situation inside Slovakia is fragile. This also applies to the electorate’s support for the prime minister himself. In addition, from an economic point of view, Slovakia itself is one of the weakest, poorest countries in the European Union, for which 500 million from the transit of natural gas can potentially play an important and even critical role for socio-political stability.
“Therefore, Fico insists, he is trying to use a harsh tone, sometimes in a flattering tone, trying to keep the focus on the non-continuation of Russian gas transit through Ukraine, trying to present himself, to sell himself as the main negotiator,” the expert explained.
What can Slovakia offer Ukraine?
“As for what Slovakia can offer… The most popular idea today, the working idea, is to create a new international, perhaps Ukrainian-European, perhaps European consortium that will buy Russian gas on the border of Ukraine and Russia, for example, in Suji. It will sign an agreement with the Russian side, this consortium, then this consortium will sign an agreement with the Ukrainian side for transit, having bought Russian gas under one Russian contract, it will ensure its transit through the territory of Ukraine in accordance with the contract with the Ukrainian side and, accordingly, will deliver and sell it directly on the European market,” the political scientist predicted.
Will this consortium include countries or official energy companies of European countries?
According to Ruslan Bortnik, it is more likely that the parties will come to a model with commercial companies. After all, the official participation of certain countries and state-owned energy companies in the implementation of this contract may contradict European sanctions and may cast a negative political shadow on the members of this consortium.
“Therefore, it is most likely that these will be commercial companies, either new ones or old commercial companies. But if we are talking about commercial companies, the issue of profit distribution is even more acute. Because Russia can provide this gas, not only to Russia, but also to Kazakhstan, at a very significant discount. And it is obvious that these Russian energy resources, thus supplied to the European market, can be very competitive. The profit margin will be very high for them. There is an acute question of profit distribution, at what price they will buy from Russia, and what price they will pay to Ukraine,” the political scientist explained.
He also emphasized that the main question is who will become commercial participants in this new consortium, how and what will be the share of profit distribution in it. This, according to Bortnik, is the main reason why Ukraine not only refused to continue transiting gas through its territory, but even refuses to participate in negotiations on the creation of the aforementioned commercial consortium of European companies that will be engaged in this transit.
“So it is obvious that Fico wants to offer Ukraine a new approach, a new model for creating such a consortium, before resuming the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine, at a time when the fighting continues and Ukrainian-Russian relations are extremely hostile. This is the model Fico wants to discuss again,” Bortnik said.
The political analyst also reminded that Ukraine continues to supply Russian oil through the pipeline, and the Prime Minister of Ukraine confirmed that Ukraine will fulfill this contract, which is valid until 2029.
“I would like to remind you that Europe continues to receive Kazakh gas, not Russian gas, but through the Druzhba pipeline. Kazakh gas continues to flow to Poland through the Russian gas transportation system via Belarus. But Fico wants to propose a new scheme,” the expert summarized.
