Slovak PM sees no point in meeting Zelenskyy without coordination with European Commission

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has said he intends to coordinate his position with the European Commission on the Druzhba oil pipeline before any meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Fico said in a video on X he is still interested in an in-person meeting with Zelenskyy.

The two leaders agreed during a phone call on 27 February to hold a meeting. Later, Ukraine proposed that Fico visit on 6 or 9 March.

The Slovak prime minister indicated that the meeting will take place later, as he expects to hold talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

"I said I'm interested in meeting President Zelenskyy, but this must come after a meeting with the European Commission president. On Tuesday, I'll be in Paris for a 'nuclear forum'. Then we'll try to organise a meeting with the president of the European Commission during the days when I'm in France," Fico said.

Fico believes Bratislava and Brussels should jointly "put pressure" on Zelenskyy regarding the resumption of operations of the Druzhba oil pipeline.

"We must put pressure on President Zelenskyy so that he allows an on-site inspection, and then further pressure him to let oil pass through his territory. Because he is harming the entire European Union, and, of course, he will get nothing from it. On the contrary, he is losing the support of an increasing number of countries," he said.

Fico also said the venue of a potential meeting with Zelenskyy has not been agreed upon and that, overall, such a meeting would be pointless until Ukraine "demonstratively" restores the pipeline's operation.

Earlier, Fico held a press conference presenting satellite images, which he claims confirm the absence of critical damage to the Druzhba oil pipeline.

Hungary and Slovakia continue to claim that Ukraine has stopped oil supplies via the Druzhba oil pipeline solely for political reasons, even though the disruption was caused by damage from a Russian attack in late January.

Both countries have decided to set up an investigative commission to examine the condition of the Druzhba pipeline and are demanding access to the site of the damage.