Why Fico's Complaints About Russian Gas Are Blatant Manipulations

Why Fico's complaints about Russian gas are brazen manipulations Angela Figin

Recently, the scandalous Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico met with Vladimir Putin in Moscow. The main topic of discussion was the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine, which will be stopped on January 1, 2025.

However, it is quite obvious that Fico is not telling the whole story on the gas issue, political scientist Igor Chalenko told Channel 24. Moreover, with his actions now, Fico is humiliating Slovakia and the entire Slovak people.

Fico's Cynical Machinations

The previous government of Slovakia was able to reduce the use of Russian gas in the country to about 2 billion cubic meters per year. However, Fico increased the use of Russian gas by 50%.

And this is despite all the work that was done to diversify supplies to Slovakia, to supply gas from Norway and other sources, and this work continued, – Chalenko said.

By the way, Italy and Austria refused Russian gas. Even Hungary now receives Russian gas not through Ukraine, but through the Balkan Stream. Accordingly, Slovakia found itself in a strange situation. Incidentally, Fico was criticized in Slovakia for meeting with Putin.

If you count, Ukraine should transit 2 billion cubic meters of gas per year to Moldova and 3 billion to Slovakia, together this is 5 billion. In order for Ukraine to reach the cost price of the transit service of our GZT, 15 billion are needed. That is, we must pay out of our own pocket so that Slovakia receives Russian gas, – the political scientist noted.

Continuing the transit of Russian gas is economically disadvantageous for Ukraine. Although President Volodymyr Zelensky clearly indicated that we are ready to transit any non-Russian gas if Moscow does not receive any income. After all, the Russian army is financed from these incomes. However, Fico twisted everything and stated that Ukraine refused to transit at all.

No, in no case. There are simply quite clear limits for further economic activity in the current conditions, Chalenko added.

According to him, the fact that Fico went to Moscow and continues to play into the pro-Kremlin narrative says a lot about the prime minister of one of the Eastern European states. He shows himself not as the head of a sovereign state, but as a governor who walks under Putin.

Pay attention! Political scientist Volodymyr Fesenko believes that Fico's statements that his visit is due to Ukraine's refusal to transit Russian gas to Slovakia are rather a reason to legalize his connection with Putin.

It should be noted that the Ukrainian president criticized Fico for meeting with Vladimir Putin and recalled that Kyiv offered a compromise for gas transit.