On Thursday, January 30, Slovak Ambassador to Ukraine Pavel Vizdal was summoned to the Ukrainian MFA, where he was told that he strongly rejects the statements by official Bratislava about Ukraine's alleged interference in the internal affairs of the Slovak Republic.

As reported on the Ukrainian MFA website, in particular, it was noted that the Ukrainian side maintains and develops good contacts with all international partners who comprehensively assist our country against the backdrop of Russia's full-scale armed aggression.

Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Oleksandr Mischenko expressed deep disappointment that Prime Minister Robert Fico is now "acting as a mouthpiece for the Kremlin and, disregarding the Slovak Republic's membership in the EU, resorting to illogical actions," the report said.

Mischenko said such actions by representatives of the Slovak government are unacceptable, especially in the context of Russia's unprecedented aggression against Ukraine, and not only cause serious harm to the traditionally good relations between Ukraine and Slovakia, but also undermine the unity of the EU and the Euro-Atlantic community in countering the aggressor state.

The Foreign Ministry said attempts by the Slovak government to maintain dependence on Russian energy supplies, despite the joint work of the EU and European partners to reduce such dependence and diversify energy sources, and ignoring the arguments of the Ukrainian side about depriving Russia of the means to finance terrorism against Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, are unacceptable.

"Official Bratislava is called upon to stop such practices and return to constructive dialogue and the development of good-neighbourly relations between our countries and peoples," the MFA said.

The Deputy Minister said the Ukrainian people, who are today paying with their lives for their freedom and the security of all of Europe, remain deeply grateful to the people of Slovakia for all the support and assistance received since the beginning of the full-scale Russian aggression. On January 29, the Slovak website Denník N said the Slovak Foreign Ministry summoned Ukrainian Ambassador Myroslav Kastran amid Kyiv's criticism of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. The Slovak Foreign Ministry reportedly expressed "strong protest" to Kastran against the Ukrainian side's statements and called them interference in Slovakia's internal affairs.