Fico accused Merz of blackmail and spoke about threats due to sanctions against Russia
Фрідріх Мерц. Фото: Reuters
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico accused German Chancellor Friedrich Merz of blackmail over funding Ukraine and said that he had previously threatened to cut off funding to Slovakia for blocking sanctions against Russia.
This is reported by the Slovak TV channel TA3.
Fico criticized Merz’s position, which insists on the continuation of financial support for Ukraine by all EU countries. The Slovak Prime Minister believes that negotiations on the EU budget for 2028-2034 should be separated from the issue of a new loan for Kyiv.
“What the Federal Chancellor is doing is typical blackmail. And I reject it,” Fico said.
He stressed that Slovakia has the same veto power as Germany, but is not obliged to agree with the position of larger European powers. According to the Prime Minister, he will not be intimidated by the German Chancellor’s statements.
“I am just like him, only from a smaller country,” Fico said.
The Slovak prime minister also recalled his first phone conversation with Merz. He claims that the German chancellor shouted at him for blocking sanctions against Russia and threatened to cut off funding for Slovakia.
“I remember the first conversation with him when he called me and shouted into the phone that I was allowing myself to block sanctions against the Russian Federation at that time because they affected Slovak interests. And that he would stop all our money, and I don’t know what else,” Fico said.
At the same time, the Prime Minister stated that Slovakia would not participate in a new loan for Ukraine.
“Not a single euro when it comes to a loan to Ukraine. Not a single euro,” he stressed.
Fico also stated his readiness to block the EU’s long-term budget if Merz does so due to the refusal of individual states to support a new loan to Ukraine of 70 billion euros.
Earlier, the European Commission reported on the conditions for further financing for Ukraine . Brussels emphasized that receiving further funds under the EU loan program will depend on Ukraine’s implementation of the necessary reforms.
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