The controversial trip to Moscow by Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico has prompted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to continue criticizing his neighbor.
“It was a clear mistake for Fico to believe that he could continue his cooperation with Moscow forever,” Zelensky said in a post on the X social media site on Sunday.
Zelensky’s account of events is as follows: Before the Russian gas flow through Ukraine was stopped, Kiev wanted to help Slovakia, but Fico “proudly refused” the offer, despite warnings from many European politicians.
Now he is trying to “transfer the blame to others with PR, lies and big accusations,” Zelensky wrote.
“But the problem is that he bet on Moscow, not his country, not a united Europe and not in the common sense,” said Zelensky. “It was a failed bet from the start.”
Fico went to Moscow just before Christmas and spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the possibility of supplying Slovakia with Russian natural gas.
Kiev allowed a transport contract with Europe to expire earlier this year so as not to give Moscow more money for its war chest.
On Friday evening, thousands of people protested in 15 cities of Slovakia against Fico’s left-wing nationalist policy in Ukraine. They accused him of a pro-Russian course and of “betraying” Western allies and neighboring Ukraine, which is under attack by Russia.
Organizers of the show criticized Fico’s trip to Moscow as a “subversion” to Russian interests.
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