Ukraine is ready for dialogue with Slovakia, particularly on energy security. However, it expects positive signals from its neighboring country, stated President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting with the leader of Slovakia's opposition.

"The transit of gas ended on Jan. 1, as the Ukrainian side has repeatedly informed at the highest level," said the diplomat. “It is not planned to be resumed. We have indeed informed the European side (at the EU summit) about our position.

"We are ready to help the Slovak people in ensuring their energy stability and security," Volodymyr Zelensky said.

A Slovak schoolboy, the winner of the mathematics Olympiad, refused to shake the hand of the country's President, Peter Pellegrini, because he does not agree

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has rejected a Ukrainian invitation to visit Kyiv this week to discuss gas transit deals, Russia's TASS news agency said on Tuesday, citing a Slovak lawmaker, amid a spat over the end of Russian gas deliveries.

BRATISLAVA (Reuters) - Thousands of protesters in the Slovak capital held banners and chanted slogans on Friday accusing Prime Minister Robert Fico of dragging the country towards Russia after he met President Vladimir Putin last month amid a gas dispute with Ukraine.

Slovak President Peter Pellegrini refuses to pay an official visit to Kyiv because Ukraine has stopped the transit of Russian gas that Slovakia had been receiving. Source: Slovak publication Aktuality,

Slovakia could potentially refuse emergency assistance if there is no cost-sharing arrangement, but the country has extended a deal for emergency support with Ukraine in mid-2024. Kyiv paid €12 million for emergency power in 2024, Fico acknowledged. Ukraine's dependence on flows from Europe and Slovakia is also limited.

Thousands of Slovaks have taken to the streets as protests against the pro-Russia policies of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico spread from Slovakia's capital to towns and cities across the country and abroad.

Slovak President Petr Pellegrini refused to go to Ukraine. This was reported by the Slovak agency TASR. On the air of the TV channel, Pellegrini said that his trip to Kiev was impossible under the circumstances. He explained this by the fact that Vladimir Zelensky refuses to transit gas to Slovakia.

Slovakia may halt humanitarian aid and emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine and leverage its veto power in EU matters should Kyiv not resume gas flows through its territory, Prime Minister Robert Fico said in Brussels today.