Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on Saturday alleged neighbouring Ukraine was not a sovereign nation but was under the absolute control of the United States, in embrace of a Russian conspiracy theory
The populist politician, who is against military aid to the war-torn country and opposes sanctions against Russia, also reiterated his opposition to Ukraine’s bid to join NATO.
“Ukraine is not an independent and sovereign country,” Fico told public broadcaster RTVS. “Ukraine is under the total influence and control of the United States.”
Slovakia is a member of both NATO and the European Union.
Fico is due to meet his Ukrainian counterpart Denys Shmyhal on Wednesday in the city of Uzhhorod, western Ukraine, on the border with Slovakia.
“I will tell him that I am against the membership of Ukraine in NATO and that I will veto it,” Fico said.
“It would merely be a basis for World War 3, nothing else,” he added.
“I will confirm that he will not receive any weapons as far as the Slovak army and state supplies are concerned,” he added.
Fico also accused Ukraine of being “one of the most corrupt nations in the world”, adding: “God only knows how much of the aid that is sent to you disappears somewhere.”
He argued there was no military solution to the current conflict, which began nearly two years ago when Russia invaded. Ukraine, he said, would have to give up some of its territory.
Allies Work to Strengthen Ukraine Following Aid Gap, But Large-Scale Offensive Unlikely
“There has to be some kind of compromise, which will be very painful for both sides,” he added. “And what are they waiting for? That the Russians will leave…? It’s unrealistic.”
Slovakia is one of the most pro-Russian countries in the European Union, according to a Bratislava-based Globsec think tank report published in 2023.
Despite Fico’s criticism of Ukraine however, it was only Viktor Orbán’s Hungary that vetoed the €50 billion of aid that other European Union members had voted to give Kyiv last December.
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Comments (5)
This guys is just another very small man who mistakenly believes that by sucking up to little putin he will be seen to be a player. If he really believes what he says, he should take his country out of the EU, preferably with Hungary, have a draft of all military aged males in Slovakia and send them to be part of the cannon fodder brigades that little putin seems happy to send to their deaths. It is disgusting to hear the things that people like this fool and his idol Orban say. They are on the wrong side of history, but they are too stupid to see it.
Is Slovakia a sovereign country? I always thought it was a subject region of the Crown of St Stephen and basically under the yoke of Hungary. That entity was ruled by the Austro-Hungarian emperor Franz Joseph, as king of Hungary. Events since 1915 have little basis of legitimacy.
As a American why should I pay taxes to defend a country that doesn’t even like me. Kick him out of nato and replace his country with Ukraine
The beauty of europeann solidarity for everyone to see. Also Slavakia is in NATO andunder the protection of the USA but he accuses Ukraine of being under US control, you can't make this up, so is he going to leave NATO
So Fico is a communist in a Nato country. He speaks for the Kremlin. As soon as Ukraine joins Nato, Fico will disapear over night.