Europe

With Orban out, Slovakia's Fico shifts tone on Ukraine
Europe

With Orban out, Slovakia's Fico shifts tone on Ukraine

by Martin Fornusek

Viktor Orban's electoral defeat appears to be easing Ukraine's relations with not one, but two of its neighbors. President Volodymyr Zelensky met Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in Yerevan on May 4, continuing an unexpectedly constructive exchange between the two leaders. Zelensky and Fico agreed their governments would hold talks in Kyiv or Bratislava by the end of June to develop cooperation in transport infrastructure and energy, according to the Slovak government. "We are neighbors, we

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A subtle drop in Putin's ratings carries an unusual signal

The steady decline in Vladimir Putin's ratings is sending a message — just not the kind polls in democracies are designed to capture. As the Kremlin's grip over the internet tightens, pro-war military bloggers, figures from state-approved "opposition" parties, and even influencers have railed against the online crackdown. State-linked pollsters, meanwhile, report that the Russian president's approval rating has steadily declined, reaching its lowest point during the all-out invasion of Ukraine

Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Russia, on May 7, 2024.
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