Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico sharply criticized Ukraine in an open letter to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for his decision to let a contract for the transit of Russian natural gas through Ukrainian territory expire on January 1.
Fico emphasized the economic and political fallout of the move, which ended the flow of gas through the pipeline serving Slovakia and several other European countries.
"Your decision to block gas transit through Ukraine has caused enormous harm not only to Slovakia but to the European Union as a whole," Fico wrote in the letter, dated January 13. "It undermines the competitiveness of an organization Ukraine aspires to join."
Fico demanded an immediate meeting with Zelenskiy to discuss potential solutions, including alternative technical arrangements to restore transit.
The pipeline brought gas from Siberia to the Russia town of Sudzha, which is now under the control of Ukrainian soldiers in the Kursk region. It then flowed through Ukraine to Slovakia, where the Soviet-era pipeline splits into branches going to the Czech Republic and Austria.
Ukraine repeatedly said it would not sign a new deal to replace the one expiring. The decision aligned with efforts by Ukraine and its allies to cut off the Kremlin's source of funding for the war.
SEE ALSO: End Of Russian Gas Transit A Defeat For Moscow, Zelenskiy SaysThe decision, presented as a matter of national security, represented one of the most critical changes in Ukraine's energy policy since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine almost three years ago and since Kyiv began reducing dependency on Russian energy supplies.
The European Union said preparations ahead of the end of the contract had included energy efficiency measures and renewable energy development. It also said Europe's gas infrastructure was "flexible enough to provide gas of non-Russian origin to Central and Eastern Europe via alternative routes."
But Fico said the end of the flow of natural gas through the pipeline has thrown Slovakia into an immediate energy supply problem since it depends heavily on Russian natural gas and revenues from transit.
Last year, the pipeline delivered about 13.5 billion cubic meters of gas, including some 3 billion cubic meters to Slovakia.
Fico said in his letter that Slovakia stands to lose 500 million euros annually in revenue and see its energy insecurity worsen, which may reduce the EU's economic competitiveness even further. Fico also points to long-term consequences for Europe's energy stability and bilateral relationships.
He said he hoped Ukraine would engage constructively with a special EU working group looking into the crisis. Potential solutions could involve renegotiating the transit agreement or finding alternative energy sources.
Zelenskiy reacted to Fico's open letter by inviting him to Kyiv on January 17.
Zelenskiy on January 12 attacked Fico in a statement, accusing him of mismanaging Slovakia's energy policy and, in essence, putting "shadow deals with Moscow" above European unity and national interest.
"Many in Europe warned him that the 'do nothing, wait' tactic would go this way. Now, he is trying to shift the responsibility regarding PR and lies and thunderous accusations," Zelenskiy said.
Zelenskiy also said that Ukraine had offered to help Slovakia during its transition away from Russian gas, but Fico "arrogantly refused." According to Zelenskiy, this proves the Slovak leader's "bet on Moscow, not on his own country, not on a united Europe, and not on common sense."