Every day, Midi Libre takes stock of the situation in Ukraine. This Thursday, January 2, 2025, discover the latest news around this conflict.
Zelensky believes Trump’s ‘unpredictability’ can help end Ukraine war
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday that “unpredictability” of Donald Trump, who is due to take office on January 20 at the White House, can help end the war in Ukraine.
“Trump can be decisive in this war. He can help us stop Vladimir Putin. He is very strong and unpredictable”Volodymyr Zelensky said in a television interview, believing that the American president-elect “really wants to end the war”.
Slovakia considers possible retaliation after end of gas flows via Ukraine
The ruling coalition government in Bratislava will discuss retaliatory measures against kyiv after Ukraine stopped the transit of Russian gas exports to Slovakia through its territory, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Thursday.
In a video posted on Facebook, the leader said his party, Smer, was considering cutting electricity supplies to Ukraine, reducing aid to Ukrainian refugees and demanding that Russian gas transit again via the Ukraine or otherwise receive compensation.
A five-year bilateral contract sealed by kyiv and Moscow for the transit of Russian gas through Ukrainian territory ended on January 1, in a context of conflict between the two neighbors, with Ukraine citing national security reasons for not not renew the contract.
Since the offensive launched by Russia in February 2022, which Ukraine and its Western allies denounce as an invasion, the European Union has taken measures to free itself from its dependence on Russian energy. If Slovakia has other sources of gas supply, Robert Fico, who ended Bratislava’s military aid to kyiv while seeking to strengthen ties with Moscow, said the country would lose some of its own transit revenues and pay higher transit fees for non-Russian gas deliveries.
He also deplored that Ukraine’s decision, described as a “sabotage”would cause an increase in energy prices in Europe. A Slovak delegation will discuss the situation in Brussels on Tuesday, he added. The ruling party is “ready to debate and agree to the suspension of electricity deliveries and significantly reduce support for Ukrainian citizens in Slovakia”, said Robert Fico.
“The only alternative for a sovereign Slovakia is the renewal of transit or compensation mechanisms to compensate for the loss to public finances of almost 500 million euros”he continued. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last week accused Robert Fico of opening a “second energy front” against Ukraine, on the orders of Russia, which is increasing attacks against the country’s energy infrastructure.
