Bratislava – Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) expressed approval of recent advancements in addressing the military conflict in Ukraine on Tuesday. He outlined two essential conditions for ending the war in a video shared on social media following a video conference with EU leaders, which occurred a day after discussions in Washington, according to TASR.
The first condition, according to Robert Fico, is the acknowledgment that Ukraine cannot join the North Atlantic Alliance (NATO). He stressed that this stance has been consistent since the war began. The second condition he mentioned involves the necessity of discussing territorial adjustments in Ukraine, as he believes this conflict cannot be resolved without such discussions.
“If these two fundamental understandings – regarding Ukraine’s NATO membership and the territories under military control – contribute to a ceasefire and the cessation of the senseless killing of Slavs, the process initiated by the American president should be viewed as a significant personal achievement,” Fico stated.
The EU had to wait for Trump to show Europe the path to peace
Additionally, he lamented that the EU needed to look to Trump for guidance on achieving peace. He pointed out that several issues remain unresolved. Fico criticized the proposal for Ukraine to acquire weapons worth 100 billion EUR from the United States as part of security assurances, arguing that this funding should be the responsibility of the EU.
He dismissed this proposal as a “failed joke.” Fico also expressed skepticism regarding further sanctions against Russia if peace talks do not proceed favorably. He reiterated his desire for swift peace and endorsed Ukraine’s aspiration to join the EU, contingent upon meeting all requisite conditions. In closing, the Prime Minister expressed his interest in fostering “normal neighborly relations” with Ukraine and welcomed the proposal for a joint meeting between the Slovak and Ukrainian governments.
“We are beginning to seek a date and location,” he added. (August 19)
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