Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico declared his desire to restore "normal relations" with the Russian Federation after the end of the war in Ukraine, adding that "the European Union needs the Russian Federation."
Points of attention
- Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico expressed his desire to restore 'normal relations' with Russia post the war in Ukraine, emphasizing the importance of economic ties between the EU and Russia.
- Czech President Petr Pavel's pragmatic view on the Ukrainian-Russian conflict suggests a temporary acceptance of Russian occupation of Ukrainian territories as a realistic approach.
- The issue of restoring friendly relations between the EU and Russia is a topic of discussion in the international community, especially with Russia-friendly leaders like Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán affecting European unity.
- The statements made by Fico and Pavel highlight the complexities and challenges surrounding the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, emphasizing the need for diplomatic solutions and compromises.
- It is crucial for Ukraine, Russia, and the EU to navigate the complexities of the conflict with a pragmatic and realistic approach, considering the long-lasting implications of the war and the territorial disputes.
Fico made a scandalous statement about the EU and Russia
Fico said: if Russia's war against Ukraine ends during his government's mandate (until 2027), he "will do everything to restore economic and normal relations with the Russian Federation."
The European Union needs the Russian Federation, the Russian Federation needs the European Union. We will take great care of friendly relations with Ukraine.
Robert Fitzo
Prime Minister of Slovakia
According to him, the war in Ukraine has no military solution when "many politicians are already talking about the need for compromises in connection with Ukraine", recalling the words of Czech President Petr Pavel about the prospects of returning Ukrainian territories.
Pyotr Pavel called Ukrainians to realism
The President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, a former high-ranking NATO general who is one of the strongest supporters of Ukraine in the war with Russia, believes that Ukrainians and their supporters should temporarily accept the Russian occupation of part of the country.
With Russia-friendly populist leaders such as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán undermining European unity over war and fatigue from 19 months of conflict "growing everywhere", Ukraine "will need to be realistic" about its prospects returning the territories occupied by Russia, Pavel said in an interview.
The most likely result of the war (Russia against Ukraine — ed.) will be that part of the Ukrainian territory will temporarily be under Russian occupation.
But, he added, this "temporary thing" could last for years.
Neither Ukraine nor Russia, Pavel said, can count on securing their maximalist goals. For Ukraine, this includes the return of all territory, including Crimea, captured by Moscow in 2014. For Russia, this is a demand that Ukraine officially cede lands claimed by Moscow, including four regions that are only partially controlled by Russian forces.
