OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT V. ZELENSKY Dear Mr. President Volodymyr Zelensky, Your decision to stop the transit of gas through Ukraine towards Slovakia and other consumers is causing extensive damage to Ukraine itself, Slovakia and especially the European Union. It is provoking diverse reactions, which does not contribute to either bilateral or multilateral relations. I do not intend to respond to your statement from Sunday, January 12, 2025, because I do not intend to further escalate tensions. I want to fully concentrate on resolving the situation related to the stoppage of gas transit. As the Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic, I have different views on several areas than you present. First of all, I do not believe in the strategy that the continuation of mutual bloodshed in the war in Ukraine leads to the strengthening of Ukraine's positions in possible peace negotiations. During all my foreign trips, I emphasize the need for an immediate end to the fighting, I support existing peace plans and I propose that peace negotiations at any level be held in Slovakia as well. I also have a different opinion on your decision to stop gas transit through the territory of Ukraine. My position is not alone in Europe. Even if I do not consider it completely decisive that the Slovak Republic loses around 500 million euros annually by stopping gas transit, the most decisive is the impact of your decision on the competitiveness of the European Union, the organization for which you are applying to join. In this spirit, I also discussed with the relevant member of the European Commission - Commissioner for Energy D. Jørgensen and his team. The decisions taken at this meeting confirm the seriousness of the situation and for this reason I appeal to the Ukrainian side to actively participate in further negotiations and the work of the special working group created for this purpose. Dear Mr. President, the Slovak Republic has demonstrated and continues to demonstrate a great degree of solidarity with your citizens living in Ukraine or on the territory of Slovakia. Joint negotiations between the governments of the Slovak Republic and Ukraine are also bringing good results. I would like to establish a constructive dialogue based on mutual respect with the Prime Minister of Ukraine D. Šmyhaľ. Therefore, allow me, as the highest representative of the Slovak executive, to invite you to a meeting, preferably as soon as possible, with full understanding of the seriousness of your work agenda. The meeting may take place on the territory of the Slovak Republic near the state border between Slovakia and Ukraine. It is quite symbolic that you could use the direct train connection from Kiev to Košice, which is the result of the joint efforts of our governments, for transport to Slovak territory. Such a meeting will create good conditions for an open discussion on gas supplies to Slovakia and other countries via the territory of Ukraine, on possible technical solutions taking into account the termination of the contract between the relevant Ukrainian and Russian companies on December 31, 2024, on the impact of the cessation of gas transit through Ukraine on the declining competitiveness of the European economy and on the development of bilateral Slovak-Ukrainian relations. Sincerely, Robert Fico Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic Telegram: https://t.me/SMERSD TikTok: / smer_sd_tiktok Facebook: / smersd Instagram: / smer_sd Web: https://www.strana-smer.sk/