"Not Ukraine's servant": Fico responds to Slovak MPs' Kyiv visit, threatens to veto EU aid to Ukraine

Fico, in his statement cited by Pravda, accused Slovak lawmakers who visited Kyiv on January 17 of "kissing Zelenskyy’s ring" and allegedly offering their support for Ukraine’s NATO membership should they come to power.

They also allegedly stated that Slovakia would join in sending a contingent of Western troops to Ukraine. Fico considers this the most dangerous aspect of the opposition’s visit to Kyiv.  

"The government I lead will never support Ukraine's NATO membership because it would only lead to World War III. Our government will also never propose sending troops to Ukraine to have their weapons directed against Russia," Fico reiterated.

He also accused opposition lawmakers of preparing a coup. According to Fico, the current government will be ready for anything, "especially a possible Maidan."  

Additionally, the Slovak Prime Minister stated that he plans to respond to the cessation of Russian gas transit through Ukraine and threatened to veto further EU aid to Kyiv.

"Robert Fico is the Prime Minister of Slovakia, not a servant of Ukraine," he mentioned.

Possible meeting between Zelenskyy and Fico: background

On January 13, Robert Fico wrote on Facebook that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s decision to halt gas transit through Ukraine to Slovakia and other consumers is causing significant harm to Ukraine, Slovakia, and the EU.  

The Prime Minister added that he hopes to continue a "constructive and mutually respectful" dialogue with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and proposed holding a meeting on Slovak territory near the border between Slovakia and Ukraine.

In response, Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on social media X: "Ok. Come to Kyiv on Friday." However, later, the Deputy Speaker of the Slovak Parliament stated that Fico would not visit Ukraine at Zelenskyy's invitation.

• Opposition parties in Slovakia have announced they will initiate a vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Robert Fico's government, citing his approach of aligning the country's foreign policy closer to Russia.