Slovak prime minister's ally compares Ukraine to Hamas, claims Russia was 'provoked'
A deputy chairman of the Slovak parliament and member of the ruling Smer party, Tibor Gaspar, compared Ukraine to the Hamas militant group and said Russia had been provoked to launch its full-scale invasion, Slovak media outlet Aktuality reported on Sept. 7.
Gaspar made the comments during a televised debate, echoing Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico's repeated claims that while Russia violated international law, it had "reasons" to attack Ukraine.
"Robert Fico has repeatedly spoken about how he perceives Russia's actions. He considers the start of the war a violation of international law, but... this is a provoked aggression," Gaspar said.
The lawmaker went further by equating Ukraine to Hamas and its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
"This is the same kind of provoked conflict as when terrorists from Palestine attacked Israel. The war developed in exactly the same way," Gaspar added.
Russia's unprovoked act of aggression against a U.N.-recognized country was condemned by international law and the overwhelming majority of the world.
The comparison distorts reality by likening Ukraine, a sovereign state defending itself against Russian invasion, to Hamas, a militant group designated as terrorist by multiple countries, that massacred civilians and took hostages.
Since returning to power in 2023, Fico and his Smer party have ended military aid to Ukraine and questioned EU sanctions on Russia. He has also vowed to block Ukraine's NATO accession.
During his meeting with Fico in Beijing on Sept. 2, Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Bratislava's stance as an "independent foreign policy" that brings "positive results."
Slovakia, along with Hungary under Prime Minister Viktor Orban, has faced growing criticism from European allies for deepening ties with Moscow.
