According to Slovakia’s Defense Minister Robert Kalinák, Ukraine must give up part of its territory to achieve peace. “That’s the reality” Kalinák said in an interview with TA3 yesterday.
It is in Slovakia’s interest to end the war immediately and achieve a negotiated solution and a ceasefire, allowing the country to participate in some form.
Tensions have escalated between Slovakia, an EU and NATO member, and its eastern neighbor, Ukraine, in recent weeks. Ukraine’s decision to halt the transit of Russian gas, effective from the new year, poses a problem for Slovakia.
“It’s certainly possible that Ukraine is not aware that it will never be between Germany and Switzerland, but will always have its greatest border with Russia” Kalinák said.
[Do you agree with the Prime Minister’s statement that Ukraine must give up parts of its territory?] That’s the reality. Our primary interest lies in the war ending immediately, with negotiations or a ceasefire, in which we can participate in some form. The most crucial thing, however, is for the killing to stop” he emphasized.Although Ukraine has lost the transit fees it continued to pay despite the war, it wants to deny Russia the opportunity to earn war funds by exporting gas to Europe.
Fico threatens with power cut
On Friday, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico threatened Ukraine with a possible power cut. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy interpreted this as an instruction from the Kremlin, as Fico had visited Kremlin Chief Vladimir Putin in Moscow the previous week.
Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár dismissed the notion of an alliance with Putin in a Facebook post yesterday, calling it “invented.”
“We have a full understanding that Ukraine is exposed to a long and grueling war, but that’s no reason for them to create new enemies and build a second front. EU member states, including Slovakia, continue to support Ukraine and its people” Blanár emphasized.
Fico, a left-wing populist, has repeatedly fallen under criticism for his public criticism of the West’s Ukraine policy. Following his trip to Moscow, he faced harsh criticism from the EU and Ukraine. Yesterday, he reiterated his threat against Ukraine in a letter to the European Commission.