European Council President Arrives in Uzhhorod as Slovakia Talks Loom
European Council President António Costa traveled to the western Ukrainian city of Uzhhorod on Friday, where he held talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ahead of a bilateral meeting between Ukraine and Slovakia.
The Gaze reports this, referring to a post by EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Mathernova, who welcomed Costa to the region.
“Many important leaders gather in Uzhhorod. It is going to be very busy here today. I am delighted to welcome President of the European Council António Costa in Zakarpatia,” she stated.
Mathernova added that Costa and Zelenskyy would take part in the Congress of Regional Authorities to highlight the resilience of Ukrainian communities and discuss their reconstruction and future in the European Union.
During their bilateral meeting, Zelenskyy thanked Costa for making the trip despite his tight schedule. “Your presence here is a strong signal of support for Ukraine, and I am grateful you came to this region,” he said.
Later on Friday, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was due to arrive in Uzhhorod for his first face-to-face talks with Zelenskyy since returning to office in 2023.
According to the Slovak media TASR, the agenda will focus on energy infrastructure, and Fico will be joined by Economy Minister Denisa Saková and Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár.
The talks come amid rising tensions over Ukraine’s drone strikes on the Soviet-era Druzhba pipeline, a key route for Russian oil supplies to Slovakia and Hungary.
Both countries’ foreign ministers have lodged complaints with the European Commission, while Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has gone so far as to write to U.S. President Donald Trump about the attacks.
Just a day earlier, Trump told European leaders that the continent must halt purchases of Russian oil, which he said was helping Moscow bankroll its war against Ukraine.
As The Gaze reported earlier, Slovakia announced its intention to normalize relations with Russia and increase gas imports via the Turkish Stream pipeline, contrary to the EU's position.