Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico Justifies Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has spoken in support of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, saying that the country had “serious security reasons” for doing so. In a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference in the US on February 21, Fico said that Russia was misled about NATO enlargement and that the conflict could have been ended quickly.
Fico also backed US President Donald Trump‘s recent criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, saying that Zelensky “actually needs this war” to remain in power. He claimed that Zelensky is not essential for negotiations to end Russia’s war in Ukraine and that the country should focus on ending the conflict rather than holding democratic elections.
Fico’s comments have been met with criticism from Ukraine, which has expressed deep disappointment over his statements. The Ukrainian government has accused Fico of acting as a “Kremlin mouthpiece” while ignoring Slovakia’s EU membership.
Tensions between Fico and Zelensky have been escalating in recent weeks, with Fico calling Zelensky “the enemy” of Slovakia on January 28. Ukraine summoned Slovak Ambassador Pavel Vizdal on January 30 after the Slovak Foreign Ministry delivered a strong protest against Ukrainian interference in internal affairs.
Fico also claimed that most EU member states want to use the war in Ukraine to weaken Russia, but that this strategy is flawed. He argued that peace talks may not lead to a just and sustainable peace for Ukraine and its territorial integrity.
Ukraine’s ambassador to Slovakia has said that Fico’s statements undermine relations between the two countries and damage EU unity.
Meanwhile, US lawmakers are considering a resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The resolution would call on the US president to provide military support to Ukraine and would mourn the casualties suffered by both Russian and Ukrainian forces.