The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs [MFA] of the Slovak Republic responds to the statements of the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, on the social network.

“The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic is closely monitoring the statements from the Ukrainian side regarding remarks made by the Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico. These reactions are perceived as exaggerated. We firmly reject any unfounded claims about the opening of a “second energy front,” as speculated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as well as fabricated accusations of any alliance with Vladimir Putin.

It was, in fact, the current Slovak government that included the project of strengthening the energy transmission system interconnection as one of the priorities in the roadmap for Slovak-Ukrainian cooperation. Yes, electricity is being supplied by Slovak companies on a commercial basis, as they are not in a position to finance the Ukrainian state. Since the beginning of the conflict, we have been, and will continue to be, providing humanitarian aid to vulnerable and severely affected people in Ukraine to the extent of our capabilities. Furthermore, our Ukrainian counterparts at the MFA should not overlook the fact that Russian gas transported through Ukrainian territory generates significant revenues for Ukraine, which are crucial for the country’s economy.

We fully understand that Ukraine is enduring a prolonged armed conflict, but for that very reason, it should refrain from creating new adversaries or fabricating the idea of a “second front”. EU member states, including Slovakia, are supporting Ukraine and its people.

We are monitoring Ukraine’s communication with patience and in the interest of maintaining respectful relations.

However, we must note that Ukrainian President Zelenskyy recently presented an absurd proposal during the December European Council meeting - to “purchase” Slovakia’s consent to NATO membership, not with Ukraine’s own resources (as such consent is not for sale), but with assets seized from Russia.

Now, he threatens Slovakia with the EU, of which Ukraine is not yet a member. Such approaches could quickly backfire on Ukraine itself.

The Government of the Slovak Republic has a duty to defend primarily the strategic interests of our country, our citizens, and the European Union. It will act accordingly, regardless of whether the Ukrainian side approves or not...”, - reads the statement of the agency.