Slovakia's Fico praises Putin-Trump summit, repeats Kremlin propaganda
Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico praised the recent Putin-Trump summit in Alaska and repeated Kremlin propaganda about the "root causes" of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
In an Aug. 16 Facebook video, Fico said "the war in Ukraine has historical roots, and we must speak equally about security guarantees for both Ukraine and Russia." Russian state media quickly picked up his comments.
Fico said the summit "accomplished several tasks," arguing it "rejected a black-and-white view of the military conflict in Ukraine" and helped "kick-start the standardization of relations between Russia and the United States."
He also claimed the meeting "seemed to erase the single mandatory stance on the war so firmly promoted by the Biden administration, and still pushed by a group of powerful players in the European Union."
The summit, he said, "held up a mirror to those European leaders who wish for a new Iron Curtain between Europe and Russia," adding that sanctions on Russia would not resolve the war.
Fico's comments followed U.S. President Donald Trump's and Russian President Vladimir Putin's meeting in Alaska, where the two leaders failed to agree to a ceasefire but reportedly discussed a plan to trade unoccupied Ukrainian lands for a peace deal.
After the summit, Putin again cited the war's "root causes" — a phrase Fico parroted in his video. Putin has long tried to justify the full-scale invasion with conspiracy theories about NATO expansion and claims about protecting Russian speakers in Ukraine, talking points frequently deployed in Kremlin propaganda.
Fico is known for inflammatory statements on Ukraine that echo Moscow's narratives. He has repeatedly criticized military aid to Kyiv and called for restoring relations with Russia.
