Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi of ‘blackmail and begging’, a claim that is actively picked up by Russian propagandist outlets to discredit Ukraine. However, this is a manipulation.

Experts from the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security have debunked this claim. They note that in response, Zelenskyi explained that Ukraine had offered Slovakia compensation for the period of adaptation to the loss of Russian gas transit, but this proposal was rejected by the Slovak prime minister.

Slovakia’s dependence on Russian gas remains critical, reaching nearly 90%. Other countries, such as Austria, which were even more dependent, managed to fully stop energy supplies from Russia.

Fico avoids rational explanations for Slovakia's continued gas dependency, unlike the rest of the EU, which is actively reducing its energy dependence on Moscow. Instead, he uses accusations against Ukraine as a way to justify his policy, which is likely based on shadow agreements with Russia.