Slovak PM predicts potential end to war in Ukraine: Probability is high

"The probability of the war in Ukraine ending is high in the short term," he said at a parliamentary committee meeting on European affairs before leaving for the European Union summit.

He expects the European Council meeting to indicate when this may happen "because suddenly the topic of an invitation for Ukraine to NATO is appearing." In his opinion, this invitation will not be "without conditions."

The Prime Minister wished for just peace in Ukraine but questioned whether it could be achieved under current circumstances.

He confirmed that his government supports Ukraine's territorial integrity and will back any peace plan proposed to resolve the conflict.

He also stated that peace negotiations would be on the agenda for his upcoming visit to China. Fico noted that he has always sought balanced relations with Russia.

He believes it should be recognized that the Russians will not leave Crimea and other territories such as Donetsk and Luhansk. According to him, the Russians are reclaiming more and more territories, and the conflict has no military solution.

The Prime Minister reported that Slovakia continues to provide humanitarian aid to Ukraine, adding that the most necessary support is the electricity supply. He expects cooperation from Ukraine in importing oil and gas to Slovakia.

"I refuse to import oil from elsewhere across the Adriatic," he noted, explaining that in this case, costs would increase. "Our obligation is to ensure the continuation of transit through Slovakia, whether it is oil or gas through Ukraine," he said.

Recall that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that Ukraine would like to end the war by 2025.

The first point of Zelenskyy's victory plan is an invitation to NATO.

For more details on Zelenskyy's plan, read the RBC-Ukraine article.