The diplomatic standoff between Slovakia and Ukraine has intensified following Kyiv’s decision to halt the transit of Russian gas through Slovakia, sparking accusations from both sides over energy policies.
Slovakia’s Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday that it had summoned Ukraine’s Ambassador, Myroslav Kastran, to lodge a formal protest against remarks made by Ukrainian officials, calling them “an intervention in the internal affairs of the Slovak Republic.”
The tension escalated after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico of prioritizing Russia over the United States and its Western allies by refusing to purchase U.S. gas. In response, Fico criticized Zelensky’s decision to cut off Russian gas transit through Slovakia at the start of the year, arguing that the move had inflicted serious economic damage on his country.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry hit back on Tuesday, stating on its website that Fico was “resorting to looking for enemies and found them in Ukraine” amid declining public trust and protests against his alleged pro-Russian stance. The ministry further accused Fico and other Slovak leaders of being “poisoned by Russian propaganda.”
Fico, however, has raised concerns about alleged attempts to destabilize Slovakia, pointing to a secret service report suggesting networks linked to the Slovak opposition and Ukrainian circles were plotting to overthrow his government.
Slovakia, a member of both the EU and NATO, remains one of Europe’s most dependent countries on Russian gas, making energy policy a sensitive geopolitical issue in the region.