Slovak PM and Putin to hold “gas talks” in Moscow, Serbia says – media
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has announced that Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico may soon travel to Moscow to engage in talks with Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin on gas supplies after 2024. Source: Euronews Serbia, a Serbian branch of pan-European television news network Euronews, citing Vucic in an interview with Serbian media, as reported by European Pravda Details: The Serbian president said he had "learned unofficially" about Fico's visit to Putin next week.
Advertisement:Quote: "Robert Fico will meet with Putin on Monday [24 December - ed.] as the leader of a European Union country, which, I don't have to tell you what kind of reaction will cause among other European leaders from the EU," Vucic said.
At the time of this report, Bratislava did not comment on Vucic's statements.
If Fico does visit Russia, it will be his first trip to the country since returning to power in 2023.
He will also become the third European leader, after Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer and Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban, to visit Moscow since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Advertisement:Background:
- Slovakia has repeatedly tried to achieve an extension of the agreement between Ukraine and Russia on the transit of Russian gas, which is due to expire in 2024.
- In a conversation with Fico this week, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal confirmed that Kyiv opposes the continuation of the transit deal with Russian Gazprom, but added that Ukraine was willing to transport gas through its natural gas transmission system if it is not from Russia.
- On 19 December, Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukraine was not considering renewing the agreement with Gazprom on the transit of Russian gas to Europe, and made it clear that Kyiv would not agree to pump Russian gas under the guise of Azerbaijani gas.
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