West will ‘betray’ Ukraine – EU state’s PM
Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico has claimed that the West will “betray” Ukraine by agreeing to a redrawing of the country's borders. Attempts to weaken Russia through economic sanctions have also failed, he added.
While Slovakia is a member of both the European Union and NATO, its government has consistently dissented from the bloсs’ policies on the Ukraine conflict since Fico assumed office, after which he froze Bratislava’s military aid to Kiev.
In May, Fico was shot multiple times at close range by a man who later told police that he was motivated by the prime minister's refusal to send arms to Ukraine.
In an interview on Tuesday with Brazil’s Folha de S. Paulo daily, Fico said that the West had hoped to weaken Russia by means of the Ukraine conflict but had failed. “The Russians are gaining more and more territory [and] the sanctions are not working,” he argued. According to the official, Ukraine “has allowed itself to be dragged into this adventure that cannot end well for the country.”
Fico claimed that Kiev “will lose territory,” possibly up to a third of its land, and “will not be invited to NATO.” The Slovakian head of government added “I believe that the Ukrainians will be betrayed.” The official also predicted that some sort of security guarantees would be offered to Kiev, “such as the presence of foreign troops” in Ukraine.
The official also predicted that some sort of security guarantees would be offered to Kiev, “such as the presence of foreign troops” in Ukraine.
Addressing Kiev’s NATO aspirations, Fico insisted that on his watch, Bratislava would oppose its accession to the US-led military bloc. The prime minister noted, however, that he has nothing against Ukraine joining the EU.
Fico insisted that there can be no military solution to the Ukraine conflict, with Kiev and Moscow needing to negotiate at last. He also noted that it is unrealistic to expect Moscow to give up Crimea or the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics at this point.
The official went on to express cautious optimism regarding US President-elect Donald Trump’s “constructive approach” toward ending the bloodshed.
Fico told Brazilian reporters that he wants to “bring relations with Russia back to normal,” emphasizing the need to restore dialogue with Moscow.
“And I assure you, once the war is over… it will be ‘business as usual.’ Everyone will go there [Russia], everyone will want to buy and sell,” the Slovakian prime minister concluded.
Fico claimed that he supported the ‘Friends of Peace’ initiative led by China and Brazil, and pledged to “offer all our modest capabilities to be able to support this plan in various forms.”
