Ukrainian Foreign Ministry Summons Slovak Ambassador Over Recent Remarks

Kiev, January 30 (TASR) - The Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Ministry summoned Slovak Ambassador to Kiev Pavol Vizdal to convey to him a strong disapproval of statements made by the Slovak Government about the alleged meddling by Ukraine in Slovakia's internal affairs, TASR learnt from the Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Ministry's press department on Thursday. Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Olexandr Mishenko voiced his deep disappointment that Prime Minister Robert Fico currently acts as a "mouthpiece of the Kremlin" and by neglecting its duties as an EU member, Slovakia is "resorting to illogical moves". According to Mishenko, such activities by the Slovak representatives are unacceptable and greatly erode the unity of the EU and Euro-Atlantic community. Slovakia's effort to preserve its supplies of Russian gas are seen by Ukraine as an "effort to preserve the dependency on Russian energy supplies", an approach that Kiev finds unacceptable, in light of the fact that the EU and its partners are attempting to escape from their dependency on Russian energy and to diversify their energy suppliers. The Ukrainian Ministry added that Slovakia ignores in this matter the arguments and effort of Kiev to "deprive Russia of the resources used to finance terror against Ukraine and the Ukrainian people". "We officially call on Bratislava to stop this policy and return to the constructive dialogue and the development of good neighbourly ties between our countries and nations," stated the Foreign Affairs Ministry, which also voiced its deep gratefulness to the Slovak people for all their help and aid given since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. mf/mcs