Robert Fico has praised Moscow over its offer of talks with Kiev, saying the two should be left to make peace without interference.
The Slovak Prime Minister said many Western states want the Ukraine conflict to continue, which explains their lukewarm response to Moscow’s proposal for direct talks with Kiev.
RT reports: Earlier on Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered Ukraine the opportunity to restart negotiations to resolve the conflict next Thursday in Istanbul, Türkiye.Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed that his country is prepared to host the talks. US President Donald Trump welcomed the proposal, writing on Truth Social that he expects “a BIG week upcoming.”
French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, however, said Putin’s offer is “not enough” and called for a ceasefire first.
”I am shocked that there is a proposal that on May 15, Russians and Ukrainians can meet in Istanbul for direct talks where concrete results can be obtained, and I hear statements from Germany and France that they do not agree,” Fico told a press briefing on Sunday following his visit to Moscow for Victory Day. “What do they have to do with it all? Isn’t it a matter for Ukraine to decide?”
Fico warned that the conflict will “last years more” if Kiev’s Western backers don’t stop interfering and start “respecting basic things,” including the right for Russian and Ukraine to work out a settlement one-on-one.
The prime minister went on to say that Western interference was behind the failure of the previous Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Istanbul in 2022. “Everything was ready, Ukraine was ready to sign a peace agreement, but the big boys from the West came and said no, we have to use this war to beat the Russians.”
“Many Western countries really want this war to continue,” Fico added. He expressed hope, however, that this will change once Russia and Ukraine sit down for talks. “This is a matter of Ukraine and Russia above all. If they are interested in working, they will be working.”