Fico blames Zelenskyy for gas crisis in Slovakia

Reuters reports.

Fico raised the issue of Russian gas transit through Ukraine before the start of the European Union summit in Brussels, which was also attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Ukrainian leader reiterated that his country would not continue the transit of Russian gas.

"We are demonstrably facing a gas crisis thanks to President Zelenskyy," Fico said at the start of a news conference in Bratislava on Friday, without elaborating.

Later, he said that Bratislava could not rule out the possibility that it would have to “think about retaliatory measures” if there was no gas transit from Russia.

Fico also spoke about alternative supplies through Ukraine: in his words, in this case, the gas “will not be Russian.”

• In October, European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson said that the bloc was ready to finalize the contract between Naftogaz and Gazprom on the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine at the end of the year.
• Subsequently, Prime Minister Robert Fico said that Slovakia would hold a series of talks to ensure Russian gas supplies through Ukraine after the current transit contract expires. 
• On December 19, Fico said he would discuss with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen the possibility of gas supplies through Ukraine after the contract between Kyiv and Russian Gazprom expires.