Fico has been an obstacle to European Union sanctions on Russia and on Ukraine’s campaign for accession to the bloc. He has challenged the EU’s efforts to reduce Russian oil and gas, with Slovakia still heavily reliant on supplies from Moscow. Zelensky repeatedly referred to Donald Trump’s demand for Europeans to stop importing Russian energy. Ukraine is ready to work with Slovakia to ensure energy stability, the President said, but “with one condition: not from Russia. But he’s disappointed some countries still buy Russian oil, funding Putin’s war machine.