"We reject any nonsense about the opening of a second energy front, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is unfoundedly inventing, as well as any imaginary alliance with Vladimir Putin," the statement reads.
Zelensky made his remarks after Fico threatened in a video address published on December 27 to halt electricity supplies to Ukraine during a deficit in its energy system following Russian airstrikes, if Kyiv stops the transit of Russian gas to Central Europe (Slovakia is one of the largest remaining buyers of Russian gas in the EU).
The Ukrainian president pointed out that Fico's shortsighted policies "have already left the Slovak people without compensation for the loss of Russian gas transit," and could also "leave the Slovak people without $200 million annually, which Ukraine pays for imported electricity."
The Slovak Foreign Ministry stated that the government has prioritized cooperation between countries through a project to enhance the interconnection of energy transmission systems, confirming that electricity is supplied by Slovak companies on a commercial basis.
"From the very beginning of the conflict, we have been and will continue to assist the defenseless, suffering people of Ukraine in humanitarian terms, within our capabilities," the statement added.
The ministry noted that gas transit from the aggressor country, Russia, provides Ukraine with "significant revenue that it needs."
"We fully understand that they are facing a prolonged military conflict, but that is precisely why they should not create new enemies for themselves or conjure up the notion of a second front, as member states of the European Union, including Slovakia, support Ukraine and its people," the message emphasizes.
The Slovak Foreign Ministry indicated that the Ukrainian president allegedly "threatens Slovakia with the European community, of which his country is not yet a part," but "all of this could quickly backfire against Ukraine itself."
"The Government of the Slovak Republic must prioritize the strategic interests of our country and our citizens, as well as the interests of the EU, and it acts accordingly, whether the Ukrainian side likes it or not," the Slovak Foreign Ministry concluded.