Zelenskyy says Slovak PM Fico sold out to Putin

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reacted to Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico's meeting with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin on December 22, accusing Fico of aiding Putin in making money.

"That is why his key goal is to deal with Russia, and this is what benefits him. This is indeed a big security issue — both for Slovakia and the entire Europe. Why is this leader so dependent on Moscow? What is being paid to him, and what does he pay with?" Zelenskyy wrote.

He noted that Fico and Putin did not issue joint statements or answer media questions after their talks, allegedly because "they are afraid of the public's reaction."

"Moscow provides significant discounts to Fico, but Slovakia pays for them. Such discounts are not free—payments to Russia are made through sovereignty or murky schemes. This should be a matter of concern for Slovakia's law enforcement and special services," Zelenskyy stated.

The president also recalled that details of such funding mechanisms were disclosed during a recent European leaders meeting in Brussels. EU leaders highlighted that Fico avoids seeking alternatives to Russian gas or working on Europe's energy independence. Instead, he aims to help Russia push American gas and other energy resources out of Europe.

"He wants to help Putin earn money to fund the war and weaken Europe," Zelenskyy wrote.

Zelenskyy further pointed out that Fico refused compensation measures that could ease the transition period and reduce dependence on Russian gas. He says the Slovak prime minister is specifically interested in Russian gas.

The Ukrainian president emphasized that Russian gas costs $500 million annually for Slovakia, while another revenue source is the oil pipeline running through Ukrainian territory, generating an additional $500 million yearly.

Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine is losing lives due to Putin's full-scale war, making such support for the Russian dictator deeply immoral.