Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said in a statement to Slovak Radio that he will block Ukraine’s accession to NATO. He claims that Ukraine will have to make a “compromise” and give its territory to Russia, writes The Kyiv Independent.

Robert FicoPhoto: MARTIN DOMOK / News and mass media / Profimedia

On January 24, Fico will meet with the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmigal.

The prime minister of Slovakia, who in his statements about Ukraine is constantly on the side of the leader of Hungary Viktor Orban, said that Washington dominates in Kyiv. According to him, Ukraine will have to cede part of its territory to Russia, which he called a “compromise”.

“Why do they expect the Russians to leave Crimea, Donbas and Luhansk? This is unreal,” he said.

Fico recently called for the stabilization of relations between the EU and Russia and added that Moscow “also needs its security guarantees.”

Several experts have recently noted that, despite the heated rhetoric, Fico is unlikely to directly defy the Western consensus with practical steps. EU aid remains blocked due to Hungary’s unique resistance.

Fico also stated that he is not against Ukraine joining the EU, if Kyiv meets all the membership criteria.

In another recent attack on Western unity, Slovakia did not join nearly 50 countries in condemning North Korea’s deployment of ballistic missiles against Ukraine.

Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar said he was ready to condemn military agreements between Russia and North Korea after receiving relevant evidence.

From October 2023, Robert Fico will hold the post of Prime Minister of Slovakia for the fourth time. Fico, a politician close to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, resigned as prime minister in 2018 amid unprecedented public protests against corruption that erupted after the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak.

The populist politician won the parliamentary elections on September 30, 2023 after an election campaign in which he advocated the end of military aid to Ukraine, the fight against illegal migration and an independent Slovakian policy on the agenda promoted by Brussels and the United States.