Slovak PM Fico Won't Travel to Kyiv for Gas Transit Talks After Zelenskyy's Invite

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico will not travel to Kyiv to address the issue of halting Russian gas transit through Ukraine, Tibor Gašpar, Deputy Speaker of the Slovak Parliament, stated on January 14 during a visit to Moscow, as reported by the Russian state news agency TASS.

“Yesterday, Prime Minister Fico published an open letter to Zelenskyy and invited him for negotiations. Zelenskyy responded, suggesting the meeting take place in Kyiv on Friday. That’s not possible. I don’t think it will happen,” Gašpar said.

Previously, Fico proposed meeting near the Slovak-Ukrainian border to discuss halting Russian gas transit, suggesting Zelenskyy travel to Slovakia via the Kyiv-Košice rail link. Emphasizing a resolution “without escalating tensions,” Fico received a brief reply from Zelenskyy on platform X: “Okay. Come to Kyiv on Friday.”

The Ukrainian Gas Transmission System Operator ceased transiting Russian natural gas on January 1, 2025 after the expiration of the Interconnection Agreement between OGTSU and Gazprom.

On January 9, the White House called Ukraine’s decision to terminate the transit of Russian gas one of Moscow’s “most costly defeats” and assured allies that the US is working to increase energy supplies to Europe.