Slovak PM Fico calls for end to Ukraine war and 'Slavs killing each other,' rejects focus on defeating Russia
Slovakia seeks a swift end to the war in Ukraine rather than Russia’s defeat, Prime Minister Robert Fico said during a televised debate on Slovak public broadcaster STVR on Oct. 5.
“The goal of the foreign policy of the Slovak Republic, of the government of the Slovak Republic, of which I am the prime minister, is not the defeat of the Russian Federation. Our goal is to end the war in Ukraine as soon as possible. These are Slavs killing each other. War is not a solution,” Fico said.
Fico criticized the European Union’s approach to Russia’s war against Ukraine and accused the bloc of focusing on military aid instead of peace initiatives.
“If the EU spent as much energy on peace as it does on supporting the war in Ukraine, the war could have been over long ago. I will never be a wartime prime minister,” he said.
Since returning to office in 2023, Fico has ended military aid to Ukraine from Slovak army stocks and questioned EU sanctions on Russia. In the past, Fico has also vowed to block Kyiv's entry into NATO — a move that requires the agreement of all 32 members, including Slovakia.
Fico visited Moscow in December 2024 and has been fostering closer ties with Moscow, both diplomatically and economically.
Olena Goncharova
