Slovakia

The EU plans to add 35 individuals and 19 companies from Russia, the DPRK and China to the sanctions list. The new package will include prohibitive duties on fertilizers and certain agri-food products.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has responded to Robert Fico's latest statements. The ministry believes that the Slovak prime minister has fallen victim to Russian propaganda due to failures in domestic policy.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico threatens to block EU aid to Ukraine if Russian gas transit does not resume. He called President Zelenskyy an “enemy” and accused him of creating problems for Slovakia.

EU foreign ministers decided to suspend the visa-free regime for holders of Georgian diplomatic passports. Slovakia and Hungary opposed the decision, but it was passed by a qualified majority.

The EU has agreed to extend sanctions against Russia for 6 months after Hungary lifted the “reserve”. Budapest has received guarantees on energy security and negotiations with Ukraine on energy transit, the media reports.

Representatives of Hungary did not sign the joint appeal of the EU countries to not recognize the presidential election in Belarus. Slovakia also refused at first, but then joined the statement.

Turkey is seeking to resume energy negotiations with the EU and become an alternative route for gas supplies. The country could expand the Southern Gas Corridor and connect it to Mediterranean gas.

Slovakia's prime minister criticized Zelenskyy's comment about the protests in Bratislava as interference in internal affairs. The Ukrainian president had earlier written “Bratislava is not Moscow, Slovakia is Europe.

Zelenskyy discussed with Aliyev the possibility of transiting Azerbaijani gas through the Ukrainian gas transportation system to Europe. Ukraine is ready to quickly sign contracts to supply non-Russian gas to European countries.

In Slovakia, massive anti-government protests spread to more than 20 cities, with the largest rally in Bratislava gathering 40,000 people. The protesters oppose the pro-Russian policies of Prime Minister Fico and support European integration.

The Slovak prime minister announces a large-scale cyberattack on the national insurance company, accusing Ukraine and the opposition. According to media reports, it was a phishing attack, while Ukraine's Foreign Ministry denies the accusations.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban says he will not support sanctions against Russia until Ukraine resumes gas transit. Ukraine stopped transiting Russian gas on January 1, 2025.

EU gas stocks have fallen to 58. 5% compared to 74% last year.

A spokesman for Ukraine's Foreign Ministry called Slovak Prime Minister Fico's statements about a group of experts involved in the protests a “standard fairy tale. ” The ministry confirmed that a possible meeting between Fico and Zelenskyy in Davos had been discussed.

Irakli Kobakhidze supported Slovak Prime Minister Fico's statement about the threat of a coup d'état. According to him, protests in both countries are coordinated from one center.

The Slovak opposition has withdrawn a vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Robert Fico over his attempt to make the session closed. The opposition promised to initiate a new attempt to dismiss the government soon.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban expressed dissatisfaction with Ukraine's decision to stop gas transit from 2025. He announced Budapest's possible response and spoke against Ukraine's rapid membership in the EU.

Slovakia's intelligence service has received information about a long-term operation to influence the country. Due to the secrecy, the details will be shared with parliamentarians orally at a closed session.

Turkey's President is ready to negotiate on the transit of Russian gas to Slovakia through the Turkish Stream. Slovak Prime Minister Fico plans to send the Minister of Economy to Turkey for further talks.

Georgia has 18 official holidays a year, the most in Europe. In 2024, a new holiday was added on May 17 - the Day of Family and Parental Respect.

More than 100 psychiatrists and psychologists in Slovakia have written an open letter demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Robert Fico. In response, Fico accused them of political bias and threatened to appeal to international organizations.

Ukraine's student hockey team defeated the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals. The decisive goal was scored in the 62nd minute of overtime, which brought the Ukrainians to the semifinals of the tournament.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico called the visit of opposition MPs to Kyiv a “gesture of sycophancy. ” He said that he would not support Ukraine's membership in NATO and threatened to veto further EU aid to Kyiv.

Merkushyna and Tyshchenko won bronze in the single mixed relay at the IBU Cup in Brezno-Osrbly. The athletes used only two additional rounds and lost to the teams of Norway and the Czech Republic.

The Ukrainian president ironically commented on Slovak Prime Minister Fico's proposal to meet in Davos. Zelenskyy hinted at the possibility of changing Fico's route to Sochi, Russia.

The Slovak prime minister said he was looking for a date to meet with the Ukrainian president. Earlier, the parties failed to agree on a venue for gas transit talks.

The Ukrainian president named the United States, Hungary, Slovakia, and Germany as countries that did not want Ukraine to join NATO. During a press conference with the British prime minister, he noted that each of these countries had their own reasons.

An 18-year-old student attacked a teacher and two classmates with a knife in a gymnasium in the town of Spisska Stara Ves. Preliminary, two people died, one person is in critical condition.

The President of Ukraine said that most Western countries do not want to recognize the possibility of further Russian aggression after Ukraine. According to him, this is the main mistake that prevents them from strengthening their support for Ukraine.

The President of Ukraine said that the format of the upcoming talks with Russia is still unknown. Zelenskyy emphasized the importance of European representation at the negotiating table, as Ukraine will become part of the EU.