Ukrainian and Slovak Prime Ministers deliberate on the execution of infrastructure and energy initiatives

In the heart of Ukraine, the city of Uzhhorod played host to a significant bilateral meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. This marked the first time the two leaders met, and they used the opportunity to discuss a range of important issues.

One of the key topics of discussion was the progress of key infrastructure and energy projects. Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko and her Slovak counterpart, Robert Fico, delved into the details, agreeing to work on a substantive agenda for the next round of joint consultations between the two governments.

One such project is the opening of the narrow-gauge railway section between Uzhhorod and Chop, which marks the first European-gauge line built in Ukraine. This development creates opportunities for passenger connections with several European capitals, further strengthening the ties between Ukraine and its European neighbours.

Economic cooperation was also a focus of the meeting, with Svyrydenko emphasising the importance of strengthening economic relations. The Slovak government was thanked by Zelenskyy for its support of Ukraine's EU integration aspirations.

In a statement, Zelenskyy expressed hope that Slovakia will join in providing security guarantees for Ukraine. This comes as the two countries continue to navigate the challenges posed by Russia's full-scale aggression against Ukraine. Fico, in turn, said that his contacts with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin were aimed at achieving a swift end to the aggression.

However, the search results do not specify which persons or organisations will participate in the upcoming rounds of joint consultations between the Ukrainian and Slovak governments in Slovakia.

The meeting also saw the Slovak opposition party Progressive Slovakia criticise Fico for failing to condemn Russian aggression at the press conference with Zelenskyy. Despite this, the overall tone of the meeting was one of cooperation and mutual respect.

In a strong statement, Zelenskyy declared that Russian oil has no future, reaffirming Ukraine's commitment to a sustainable and secure energy future. The discussions between the two leaders no doubt mark an important step forward in strengthening the relations between Ukraine and Slovakia.

Ukrainian and Slovak Prime Ministers deliberate on the execution of infrastructure and energy initiatives