Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico criticized the European Commission's stance on abandoning Russian energy supplies during talks with Vladimir Putin. The relevant information was published on the official Kremlin website.
Fico warned that halting supplies could lead to "instability" and "technical difficulties." He assured that Slovakia would use its veto right against this European Commission initiative if unanimous approval were required. "In case of a majority vote rather than consensus, larger countries will be able to push through their agenda," the politician explained.
The Slovak government head noted that Europe is "trying to erect a new Iron Curtain in various forms," while anti-Russian sanctions "prove ineffective and harm the EU itself." In contrast, Bratislava "seeks to build constructive relations with Russia," Fico emphasized.
As reported by *Kommersant*, the European Commission plans to propose a phased abandonment of Russian gas and nuclear fuel by 2027 in June this year. Adopting this plan will require support from a majority of European Parliament members and a qualified majority of EU member states. Under this procedure, individual countries, including Hungary or Slovakia, will not be able to block the initiative alone.