Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico challenged European leaders over their criticism of US President Donald Trump’s decision to initiate peace talks with Russia without consulting the EU, according to Euractiv.
The prime minister shared a photo of himself with Russian President Vladimir Putin from their December meeting in Moscow in a Facebook post on Thursday. Alongside the image, he published a lengthy essay addressing Trump’s unilateral move, which has left European allies reeling.
Fico acknowledged that Russia’s use of military force violated international law but argued that it had “serious security reasons for doing so.” He repeated claims that “in April 2022, an immediate ceasefire was on the table, but the West forbade Ukraine from accepting it,” and insisted that the EU is now “the second biggest loser after Ukraine.”
The Slovak leader also blamed the EU’s predicament on its lack of an independent foreign policy stance, accusing it of blindly following the former US President Joe Biden’s administration. He criticised the EU for launching what he called a “total offensive” against Russia, including imposing sanctions.
It saddens me to see how helpless the EU has become, especially those who so steadfastly supported more killing in Ukraine.
He argued that the EU is now “clueless” about US-Russian relations, which he views as pivotal to ending the conflict. He noted that while Trump at least informed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of his plans, the EU has been left on the sidelines.
Fico also predicted that Trump would pressure Europe to buy more American gas and oil and significantly increase defence spending. He suggested that Ukraine would lose a third of its territory, its natural resources, and any chance of joining NATO, with foreign troops stationed on its soil.
He added that “we brought this humiliating role upon ourselves” and must now “forget the existing world order.”
Domestic backlash
Fico’s remarks sparked strong condemnation from the Slovak opposition. Ivan Korčok, former foreign minister and member of the Progressive Slovakia party (PS/RE), called Fico’s statements irresponsible, emphasising that Slovakia’s existence depends on the “sacred principle” that borders cannot be redrawn by force.
Tomáš Valášek, former Slovak ambassador to NATO and also a member of PS/RE, stated:
He has sided with Russia, which seeks to weaken the EU. Mentally, he is closer to Moscow than to our allies.
In recent months, Fico’s stance has triggered nationwide protests demanding his resignation and drawn criticism even from within his ruling coalition. His comments come at a time when European leaders are reaffirming their commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty.
On Wednesday evening, foreign ministers from France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, Ukraine, the EU, and the UK jointly declared that any future peace deal must include Ukraine and its European partners. The position was reiterated by European defence ministers on Thursday.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas echoed the stance on X, stating that “Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity are unconditional.”
