Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico declined an invitation from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to come to Kyiv on Friday for talks on Russian gas transit.
This was reported by the vice-speaker of the Slovak parliament, Tibor Gašpar, in a comment to Russian media.
Prime Minister Fico sent an open letter to Zelensky yesterday offering negotiations. Zelensky responded with an invitation to come to Kyiv on Friday. This is impossible. I think the meeting will not take place, said Gašpar, who is on a visit to Moscow.
Earlier, Robert Fico suggested to Volodymyr Zelensky to organize a meeting at the border area between the two countries, but the Ukrainian leader insisted on holding the talks in Kyiv.
Meanwhile, a public conflict arose between the sides the day before. Fico called Zelensky a “beggar” and urged him to stop his European trips asking for financial and military assistance. This statement came amid a dispute over the transit of Russian gas, which was suspended by Ukraine, causing economic losses for Slovakia.
