Former Prime Minister Robert Fizo, whose Smer party won parliamentary elections on Saturday, says he will do everything to get peace talks between Russia and Ukraine started as soon as possible, CNN reports.

Fico did not win enough votes to rule alone, but he has a chance to return to the post of prime minister with the support of a coalition.

Fico is considered pro-Russian, and his announcement of peace talks risks angering Ukraine, which does not want to negotiate or cede territory to Russia.

“I will limit myself to one sentence. Slovakia and the Slovaks have bigger problems than Ukraine,” he answered the question of his position on this country, captured by Russia.

“Ukraine is a huge tragedy for everyone. If Smer is invited to form a government, I will do everything, including in the European Union (EU), to start peace talks as soon as possible,” he said.

“More killings will not help anyone. You know our opinion. I would rather spend ten years negotiating peace and reaching compromises than let people kill each other for ten years and end up where we are today. We are not changing our position as a party of peace,” he emphasized.