By Albin Sybera Slovakia’s populist Prime Minister Robert Fico has stepped up his anti-Ukrainian rhetoric, saying that Slovakia could halt all its humanitarian aid for Ukraine and Ukrainians in Slovakia,

Slovakia is weighing retaliation against Ukraine including withholding aid if a solution is not found to Kyiv's decision to shut off Russian gas, Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Thursday after talks with EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen.

Fico said Putin guaranteed that Russia would meets its obligations, although capacity in the TurkStream pipeline and connecting route taking Russian gas through Turkey to Europe was limited. "President Putin guaranteed that they will honour their commitments," Fico said.

Fico said that Slovakia could halt its humanitarian aid to Ukraine, cut or cancel social benefits for Ukrainian refugees, and cease emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine. He also suggested using veto power over EU decisions as leverage against Kyiv.

Ukraine’s suspension of Russian gas transit through its territory is not a threat to EU energy security. However, the bloc’s member states should continue working towards their goal of becoming indepe

Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico said he wasn’t ruling out the resumption of gas through Ukraine after a deal between Kyiv and Moscow expired at the beginning of this year.

A meeting between Slovak, Ukrainian and European Commission officials over gas supplies planned for Tuesday has been cancelled because Kyiv will not participate, Slovakia said on Monday.

Slovakia may halt humanitarian aid and emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine and leverage its veto power in EU matters should Kyiv not resume gas flows through its territory, Prime Minister Robert Fico said in Brussels today.

Slovakia is considering retaliatory measures against Ukraine, including withholding aid, unless a resolution is reached regarding Kyiv's decision

Under the slogan "Slovakia is Europe! - We've had enough of Russia!" Slovakian supporters of Ukraine demonstrated in Bratislava on Friday against Prime Minister Robert Fico. The protest rally in front of the government office was called by the citizens' initiative "Mier Ukrajine" (Peace for Ukraine),