Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has confirmed that he proposed a financial offer to Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico during their recent discussions in Brussels, amidst ongoing tensions between the two countries regarding the transit of Russian gas.

Kiev plans to halt the flow of Russian fuel through its territory once a five-year transit agreement concludes at the end of the year, a move that Slovakia argues would jeopardize its energy security. Following a meeting with EU leaders, Fico stated that he had turned down an offer of €500 million ($520 million) in return for Slovakia’s support of Ukraine’s NATO membership aspirations. In response, Zelensky challenged the context of his proposal in a post on X on Tuesday.

“We presented him with options for potential compensation specifically for Slovaks regarding losses incurred from Russian transit, as well as alternatives for transporting other types of gas, not Russian, as requested by the European Commission,” he stated.

Zelensky also reiterated his earlier accusations that Fico’s actions are driven by “personal gain” linked to “opaque arrangements” with Moscow. The Ukrainian leader initially made these unverified claims in response to Fico’s recent visit to Russia, where he met with President Vladimir Putin to discuss gas supply issues.

The €500 million referenced by Fico in a recent press conference is expected to be sourced from Russian national assets, which Ukraine asserts it has the authority to utilize as it deems appropriate. Following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, Western nations have frozen approximately $300 billion in Russian funds within their jurisdictions.

Brussels has dismissed requests from Kiev and Washington to confiscate these frozen assets, arguing that such an action would negatively impact the euro and the financial stability of the European Union. Russia has issued warnings of retaliation against what it describes as the “theft” of its assets.

Fico has cautioned that a “serious conflict” with Ukraine could arise if President Zelensky fails to “release our gas.” Since the Soviet era, Ukraine has been responsible for transporting energy originating from Russia to European markets.

The Slovak prime minister stands out among Western leaders for his opposition to ongoing military support for Ukraine, advocating instead for a negotiated settlement to the ongoing tensions with Russia.