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Slovakia: Ready to host negotiations on Ukraine

Politiko 2024-12-28 09:26:48
Slovakia: Ready to host negotiations on Ukraine

Slovakia is offering itself as a host for possible peace talks to end the war in Ukraine. “If someone wants to organize peace talks in Slovakia, we will be ready and welcoming,” Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Facebook. Apparently, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico offered his country as a venue for the talks during his visit to Moscow last Sunday.

Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar also announced earlier that Slovakia was offering “to hold such negotiations on Slovak soil.” Representatives of all parties to the conflict “and therefore also Russia” should participate in these talks, Blanar stressed on Facebook.

Slovakia is among a growing group of Central and Eastern European EU member states that are skeptical of supporting Russia-attacked Ukraine and favor negotiations with Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky himself has repeatedly criticized Slovakia, which borders Ukraine, for its friendly tone toward Russia.

Putin welcomes Slovak proposal

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he could imagine Slovakia as a meeting point for possible talks to end the war in Ukraine. On Friday, he said Slovakia had offered to serve as a “platform” for peace negotiations in Ukraine. Putin called the proposal “acceptable” and praised Slovakia’s “neutral position.” “If it goes that far, why not? From our point of view, Slovakia takes a neutral position,” Putin said.

Strong criticism from the Slovak opposition

But in Slovakia, Putin's comments sparked strong criticism from the opposition. Michal Simecka, the leader of Slovakia's largest opposition party, wrote on Facebook: "It is absurd that someone other than our government informs us about the foreign policy of the Slovak Republic. (…) Now also the Russian president and criminal Vladimir Putin." Regarding the offer to Putin to organize Russian-Ukrainian talks in Bratislava, Simecka made a counterproposal: "If Fico wants peace, he should first call on Putin to stop his attacks and stop killing innocent people in Ukraine."

Prime Minister Fico's visit to Putin was criticized by both Ukraine and the EU. The visit was mainly about gas deliveries. Ukraine will stop the transit of Russian gas early next year, which causes problems for Slovakia.

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