“We constantly ask for sanctions against the Russian nuclear industry,” the official said, granted anonymity to speak frankly about the sensitive row. Slovakian Prime Minister Robert “Fico is among those who block those sanctions … and is one of the key blockers of [Ukraine’s] bid to join NATO, too.”
Fico, who along with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has championed closer relations with Moscow since the start of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s all-out invasion of Ukraine, on Thursday accused Zelenskyy of offering him “€500 million of Russian assets” to support Kyiv’s application to join the military alliance. “Of course, I said ‘never’,” the populist prime minister said he responded.
Hitting back at the claims, the Ukrainian official said Zelenskyy’s words were taken out of context and were making the case for Slovakia to find alternative sources of gas, as other EU countries have.
“That is when Zelenskyy offered him to come to an agreement with our partners and said we will compensate Fico for his losses, and in return, he will help us with our national security, and support us and NATO. He said ‘no’,” the Ukrainian official said.
According to the Ukrainian official, the Slovakian prime minister rejected suggestions of transiting any gas other than Russian because the earnings are apparently a national security priority.
“You see, it’s not about security at all for Fico,” the official said.
