Slovakia's Fico says Zelenskyy 'hates' him, sees no point in Ukraine visit
Photo: Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (Getty Images)
Slovakia's pro-Russian Prime Minister Robert Fico has offered an explanation for why he refuses to visit Ukraine. He blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, saying the president "hates" him, informs the Slovak outlet Aktuality.
Fico said that a meeting with President Zelenskyy made no sense because, in his view, Zelenskyy hated him. He added that he saw no reason to meet with the President of Ukraine.
He added that he prefers to meet with his Ukrainian counterpart, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. As for Ukraine's interest in a visit from Slovak President Peter Pellegrini, Fico said it would be merely symbolic. In Slovakia, the president does not have the authority to sign any agreements.
Still, the Slovak Prime Minister unexpectedly voiced support for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union. He said it is a path forward for Ukraine amid its current "difficult situation."
He added that Ukraine's EU membership brings more advantages than disadvantages for Slovakia.
Pellegrini plans visit to Kyiv
Slovak President Peter Pellegrini announced on June 15 that he plans to visit Kyiv. He said he had already informed Zelenskyy that preparations for the visit had begun.
Pellegrini was initially scheduled to travel to Ukraine in January. However, the trip was canceled after Ukraine announced it would halt the transit of Russian gas starting January 1, 2025.
Blocking Ukraine's EU accession
On June 25, 26 out of 27 EU member states expressed support for continuing financial assistance to Ukraine and doing so over the long term. The only holdout was pro-Russian Hungary, which effectively blocked the launch of accession talks. The move was met with enthusiasm by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Pro-Russian Slovakia, meanwhile, blocked the EU's 18th package of sanctions against Russia. Still, unlike Budapest, Bratislava supports Ukraine's membership in the European Union.
