Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has escalated his anti-Ukraine rhetoric, branding President Volodymyr Zelensky an “enemy” and openly questioning European support for Kyiv. Speaking before the parliamentary economic committee, Fico dismissed Zelensky’s proposal for Azerbaijani gas transit as a “bubble” and reaffirmed Slovakia’s commitment to purchasing Russian gas—while demanding Ukraine ensure its transport. He accused Zelensky of harming Slovakia and the EU, declaring, “Zelensky is not some sacred untouchable cow like in India. He isn’t. Because he’s doing wrong. Very wrong.”
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, speaking before the parliamentary economic committee, dismissed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s statement on the possible transit of Azerbaijani gas as a diversion. Fico asserted that Slovakia would continue purchasing Russian gas and called on Ukraine to ensure its transit. He accused Zelensky of misleading the public, claiming, “What else is left for Mr. Zelensky than to talk about some Azerbaijani gas? Nothing is prepared, no project is on the table. He is once again releasing bubbles, thinking this will save him from us making tough decisions.”
Fico escalated his rhetoric by directly labelling Zelensky as an enemy, stating, “Our enemy is Zelensky, not me. Zelensky caused what we are dealing with today and the huge problems we have. I know that politically you are somewhere else, that you like Zelensky, but I don’t. Because he harms Slovakia.” He dismissed any notion of Zelensky being above criticism, adding, “Zelensky is not some sacred untouchable cow like in India. He isn’t. Because he’s doing wrong. Very wrong. Especially to the European Union and Slovakia, and the European Union and Slovakia need to decide how to respond to this.”
During the committee session, Fico also reiterated his threat to block decisions on providing assistance to Ukraine. On Thursday, he is scheduled to meet with the European Commission to discuss Slovakia’s gas strategy. He outlined his preferred approach, which would see Slovakia purchasing gas at the Russian-Ukrainian border and transporting it through Ukraine as Slovak gas. He cited Hungary’s similar model for Russian oil imports, which also supports operations at the Slovnaft refinery in Bratislava, owned by the Hungarian MOL Group.
Reiterating his long-held position that Slovakia should not be involved in Ukraine’s conflict, Fico asked, “What does Slovakia have to do with the war in Ukraine? Nothing! This is not our war. So why should Slovakia suffer now? And why should the EU lose its competitiveness because of the war in Ukraine?” He went even further by justifying Russia’s actions, stating, “Of course, the use of military force was against international law, but there were reasons why the Russian Federation violated international law. And I am very aware of these reasons and understand why the Russian Federation violated international law.”
Ivan Štefunko, deputy leader of Progressive Slovakia, criticised Fico’s stance, arguing that the prime minister ignores the reality of the largest conflict in Europe since World War II. He emphasised that if Russian President Vladimir Putin had not invaded Ukraine, there would be no issue with gas transit. Štefunko also noted that Fico’s December meeting with Putin did not result in any concrete agreements.
Fico’s statements signal an increasing alignment with Hungary’s pro-Russian energy strategy, further distancing Slovakia from EU-backed efforts to reduce dependency on Russian energy. His remarks also openly question the European Union’s stance on the war while echoing narratives that justify Russia’s breach of international law.
