PS Leader Simecka Meets with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy (3)

Kiev/Bratislava, January 17 (TASR) - Chair of the most popular opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) party Michal Simecka met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kiev on Friday and stated that the Ukrainian head of state has an interest in cultivating good ties and cooperation with Slovakia, TASR learnt from a PS post on Facebook on the same day. "An important meeting with President Zelenskyy. I'm bringing a clear message for Slovakia from him. Ukraine holds our support in high esteem and has an interest in the best possible ties and cooperation - including in the sphere of energy. And it's ready to negotiate. And that's what I call on [Prime Minister] Robert Fico to do," wrote Simecka. In his view, the PS delegation has managed to "reopen the door that Prime Minister Fico needlessly slammed shut with his aggressive attacks". In his social media post, written also in Slovak, Zelenskyy stated that "he had expected a certain Slovak leader, but another one showed up". He called the meeting with PS representatives good and their debate specific and constructive. "Ukraine is thankful to the people of Slovakia for their support. We're ready for an open and mutually beneficial dialogue on all issues, particularly in the sphere of energy. This dialogue must strengthen our nations - Ukraine and Slovakia - not Moscow," posted Zelenskyy. According to PS leadership member and former foreign affairs minister Ivan Korcok, PS found it necessary to visit Kiev with this precise timing, as the Slovak Government "communicates with Ukraine as if it were our enemy". He added that the Ukrainian side is willing to negotiate about the energy issues too. PS Vice-chair and House Foreign Affairs Committee Vice-chair Tomas Valasek declared that at stake in the war in Ukraine is the freedom and security of Slovakia and the whole of Europe. "It's in our vital interest to support Ukraine because the further away Putin's army is from the Slovak border the better for the people in Slovakia," he said. Simecka visited Kiev on Friday together with several opposition politicians of PS, including Ivan Korcok, MPs Tomas Valasek, Beata Jurik and Lucia Plavakova. mf/mcs