Fico invites Zelensky for gas transfer talks

Ukraine stopped remitting gas to Europe at the beginning of the year, following the completion of a tranche agreement between Kiev and Moscow. With that decision, Kiev is aiming to halt revenues from the energy Moscow uses to finance the Ukraine invasion, which started nearly three years ago.

Fico said the decision has influenced Slovakia, located at the border with Ukraine, through higher gas prices and the loss of tariffs for sending gas further to Europe. He said he intends to resume remittances.

Fico said in an open letter to Zelensky, which was published by his office, that a meeting that could be held in Slovakia near the border with Ukraine and could be discussed on technical solutions to the issue.

“Such a meeting would create a good basis for an open discussion about gas supplies to Slovakia and other states through Ukrainian territory”, Fico said.

Fico in the past has said he is close to reaching an agreement that would enable the continuation of gas shipments via Ukraine, changing gas ownership in advance.

But, he has declared that Zelensky had refused to extend the deadline for gas deliveries via Ukraine during a European Union summit held last December.

Fico has argued that Europe has lost billions of euros in gas prices, which were caused by the lack of about 13.5 billion cubic metres of gas it passed through Ukraine last year, including 3 billion cubic metres for consumption in Slovakia. / REL