This article was originally published in English
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico acknowledged that Russia had violated international law by invading Ukraine, but he largely blamed the West for pushing Ukraine “into a bad situation.”
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Populist Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said Ukraine would not be invited to join NATO and Russia would not withdraw its troops from the occupied Crimean peninsula or other parts of Ukraine, during a speech delivered Wednesday before the parliamentary committee on European affairs.
“Ukraine will not be invited to join NATO. It will lose a third of its territory. Foreign military forces will be present there. This is probably the result of the senseless conflict that has been going on in Ukraine for three years. Yet another times, I respect the fact that this is a violation of international law on the part of Russia, but the West has pushed Ukraine into a bad situation. This is my position, which no one can change. “, he declared.
Robert Fico acknowledged that Russia violated international law by invading Ukraine, but he largely blamed the West for pushing Ukraine “in a bad situation”.
He made the remarks before heading to an EU summit and on the same day that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is due to meet NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and European leaders in Brussels. The talks aim to strengthen Ukraine’s defenses against Russian forces.
These comments, however, come as no surprise. Robert Fico had already declared in October that he would not allow Ukraine to become a member of NATO as long as he was prime minister.
“I will ask the legislators under my control as chairman of the (ruling) Smer party to never agree to Ukraine joining NATO,” he said in an interview with Slovak TV channel STVR.
Robert Fico, known for his pro-Russian stance and his criticism of Ukrainian sanctions against Russia, including those targeting Lukoil, was reappointed as Slovak prime minister in 2023. At the same time, Robert Fico decided to end the military aid from Slovakia to Ukraine.
“We consider aid to Ukraine only as humanitarian and civilian aid, and we will no longer supply weapons to Ukraine”he said.
According to him, “An immediate cessation of military operations is the best solution for Ukraine. The EU should move from the status of arms supplier to that of peacemaker.”
Ukraine believes that NATO membership is the only “real guarantee” for his safety. NATO foreign ministers are waiting for Donald Trump to return to the US presidency to make a decision.
