During a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Denys Shmyhal, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico supported Ukraine’s entry into the European Union and promised Kiev help, including demining equipment. It was apparently a condition of Fico’s acceptance by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
It wasn’t the only change. Another was that Prime Minister Robert Fico was accompanied by many ministers Slovak government. After the meeting, a Slovak-Ukrainian joint declaration was also signed, in which the new Slovak cabinet also confirmed support for Ukraine and its territorial integrity, Slovak aid and support for Kyiv’s European ambitions.
The Ukrainian side was visibly satisfied with the negotiations. “With the Slovak Prime Minister Robert Ficus we agreed on a number of important issues. The Slovak government will not block Ukraine’s purchase of arms and equipment from Slovak companies. Slovakia will support the aid program for Ukraine, which provides for 50 billion euros from the EU for Ukraine,” Ukrainian Prime Minister Shmyhal said on the X network.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico doubted that there would be a war in Kyiv:
They have a completely normal life there. Robert Fico disputed that there is a war in Kyiv
“Despite all the political challenges, we are developing a ‘new pragmatism’ policy in our relations,” stated the head of the Ukrainian government. “We are grateful to the Slovak nation, which is helping Ukraine and Ukrainians in these challenging times,” concluded Šmyhal.
Fico also tried to trivialize different views. “We don’t agree on some issues, that happens in politics,” he said during the meeting. “Still, we want to help you, you can see it in the composition of the Slovak delegation,” he assured.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico held talks in Ukraine Source: ČTK
According to the video that Fico published, he and his Ukrainian counterpart disagreed, for example, on the role of the US in Ukraine, which, according to the Slovak prime minister, is essential, but not according to Kyiv. Fico also stated that Slovakia will not block commercial arms supplies to Ukraine, but according to Bratislava, a military solution to the conflict is not possible.
“I repeated to the Prime Minister that I do not believe in a military solution this conflict. And as a Slav, it bothers me that there is mutual killing of Slavs, perhaps in the name of some geopolitical interests,” said Fico. “We will support any peaceful solution,” added the Slovak prime minister. He brought a gift to Ukraine in the form of twenty tons of humanitarian aid and ambulances for Ukrainian medical workers.
Fico needs Scholze
The visit to Ukraine was preceded by a series of statements by the Prime Minister intended for the Slovak domestic audience, mainly for government voters, in which Fico he pronounced very critically and even insultingly.
“And you really think that there is a war in Kiev? You are not serious, I hope… Absolutely normal life is there. Why would I go to Kyiv when I can meet the Prime Minister in Uzhhorod, I don’t see the difference there,” Fico said in a radio interview before his departure. Paradoxically, at that moment, Kiev was again bombed by Russia.
He also called Ukraine a corrupt country that is not a sovereign state. However, despite calls from Ukrainian journalists for the meeting to be cancelled, Kyiv did not cancel the meeting.
Robert Fico is against the admission of Ukraine to the North Atlantic Alliance:
Fico rejects Ukraine’s admission to NATO. He’s going to veto it
What is also interesting about the Uzhhorod meeting is that Fico flew directly from it to visit Berlin, where he was received by the chancellor Olafa Scholze. For Fico, this is a key meeting not only because of Germany’s role as Slovakia’s main trade partner, but also because Fico’s direction was suspended from membership in the European Socialist faction after the elections. It is the chancellor’s social democracy that has a crucial say in the faction.
“Whoever knows how to read diplomatic signals will definitely read it,” said an unnamed Berlin diplomat.
