Robert Fico
2h
OPEN LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT V. ZELENSKY
Dear President Volodymyr Zelensky,
Your decision to stop the transit of gas through Ukraine towards Slovakia and to other customers causes extensive damage to Ukraine itself, Slovakia and the European Union in particular.
It provokes diverse reactions, which does not contribute 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 the tension. I want to fully concentrate on solving the situation related to the stoppage of gas transit.
As Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic, I have different opinions in several areas than you present. Above all, I do not believe in the strategy that the continuation of mutual bloodshed in the war in Ukraine leads to the strengthening of Ukraine's positions in possible peace negotiations.
During all my trips abroad, I stress the need for an immediate end to the fighting, I support the existing peace plans and I propose that peace negotiations at any level be held in Slovakia as well.
I also have a different opinion on your decision to stop gas transit through the territory of Ukraine. My position is not alone in Europe. Even if I do not consider it completely decisive that the Slovak Republic loses around 500 million annually due to the stoppage of gas transit. Euro, the most decisive is the impact of your decision on the competitiveness of the European Union, the organization in which you are applying for membership.
In this spirit, I also negotiated with the relevant member of the European Commission - Commissioner for Energy D. Jørgensen and his team. The decisions taken at this meeting confirm the seriousness of the situation, and for this reason I appeal to the Ukrainian side to actively participate in further negotiations and the work of a special working group created for this purpose.
Dear Mr. President,
The Slovak Republic has demonstrated and continues to demonstrate a great degree of solidarity with your citizens living in Ukraine or on the territory of Slovakia. The joint negotiations of the governments of the Slovak Republic and Ukraine also bring good results. I would like to continue a constructive dialogue based on mutual respect with the Prime Minister of Ukraine D. Shmyhaľ. Therefore, allow me, as the highest representative of the Slovak executive, to invite you to a meeting, preferably in the near future, while fully understanding the seriousness of your work agenda.
The meeting can take place on the territory of the Slovak Republic near the state borders between Slovakia and Ukraine. It is quite symbolic that you could use the direct train connection from Kyiv to Košice for transport to Slovak territory, which is the result of the joint efforts of our governments.
Such a meeting will create good conditions for an open conversation about gas supplies to Slovakia and to other countries through the territory of Ukraine, about possible technical solutions taking into account the expiration of the contract between the relevant Ukrainian and Russian company on December 31, 2024, about the impact of stopping gas transit through Ukraine on the declining competitiveness of the European economy, and about the development of bilateral Slovak-Ukrainian relationships.
With respect
Robert Fico
Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic
