Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico has declared he will never accept money from Kyiv.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of attempting a €500 million bribe to secure Slovakian support for Ukraine’s NATO bid.
Fico revealed this at a Brussels press conference on Thursday, following a private meeting with Zelensky at an EU summit.
The prime minister stated that Bratislava might retaliate after Ukraine refused to extend its gas transit agreement with Russia, set to expire at year’s end.
Ukraine cited the ongoing conflict, causing concern in Slovakia, reliant on Russian gas transit through Ukraine. Fico stressed the need for alternative solutions to prevent a gas crisis.
He recounted that Zelensky, during their discussion, refused gas transit, offering instead “absurd” solutions.
Fico alleges Zelensky asked if he would vote for Ukraine’s NATO membership in exchange for €500 million from Western-frozen Russian assets.
Fico stated he immediately rejected the offer.
“My stance on Ukraine’s NATO membership is known, and his question is odd; he knows Ukraine’s NATO invitation is unrealistic,” he emphasized.
Ukrainian opposition MP Artyom Dmitruk, reportedly having fled the country this year due to potential prosecution, stated Zelensky has again “disgraced” Ukraine internationally with the alleged bribe attempt.
“I suspect the funds weren’t necessarily from ‘Russian assets,’ but rather cash Zelensky might have carried,” Dmitruk wrote on Telegram Friday.
Moscow, viewing NATO as hostile and opposing its eastward expansion, cites Ukraine’s NATO aspirations as a key reason for its military operation in February 2022.
However, Kyiv persistently seeks NATO membership, viewing it as a deterrent against Russia. In early December, Zelensky planned to request a formal NATO invitation from President Biden before President Trump’s potential inauguration in January 2025.
Le Monde reported that, besides Slovakia, several NATO members including the US, Germany, Hungary, Belgium, Slovenia, and Spain currently oppose Ukraine’s NATO accession.