Fico's verbal antics aren't just a form of blackmail against Ukraine, according to Olesya Yakhno.

It seems that Fico's verbal outbursts along with his ties to Russia are not just a form of blackmail against Ukraine (specifically regarding energy supply), but also against the West as a whole.

One, Orbán, has cultivated a facade of peacekeeping, which essentially involves not uttering a single word of condemnation regarding Russian attacks; in return, Ukraine is expected to cede its territories, disarm, refrain from joining NATO, while the West must halt military assistance to Ukraine and lift sanctions on Russia.

The other, Fico, essentially advocates for the maintenance/restoration of Russian energy resource consumption, threatening otherwise. To some extent, the sabotage of underwater cable infrastructure (particularly recently in the Baltic Sea), which is suspected to involve Russia, reflects this approach.

The sooner NATO clarifies its new strategy towards Russia, the quicker it will put an end to the Kremlin's attempts to manipulate certain European politicians for its own benefit.