Fico in Lviv: Ukraine deserves respect and help, Slovakia says

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said at the fourth joint meeting of the Slovak and Ukrainian governments in Lviv that Ukraine deserves respect and help. He also assured his hosts that Bratislava supports its neighbour's European ambitions and is ready to share its experience of joining the EU.

A special resolution is to follow

At the end of the meeting, the two sides are expected to adopt a special resolution setting out specific tasks and deadlines for every member of the government. Fico said he was pleased with decisions that will help Ukrainians get through hard times more easily, “perhaps with this small help from Slovakia as well”.

At the press conference, he admitted that it sometimes seems there are no problems more serious than those Slovakia is dealing with. But, he said, once you visit a country under enormous military pressure, it becomes clear that the work Ukrainians are doing deserves respect. Slovakia, he stressed, wants to be a good neighbour to Ukraine.

Ukraine is now in its fifth year of repelling Russia's invasion. The aggressor is trying to break the defenders' resolve, in part by striking civilian infrastructure, and in winter residents often suffer from a lack of heating and power outages. As Fico noted, Slovakia has not only provided funds for buying generators but also allocated money for heating points and shelters for residents.

Peace and joint projects after the war

Fico expressed hope that relations between the neighbours can develop “without the shadow of war”. He wished Ukraine a just and lasting peace and said he was confident that, at some point, it would be achieved.

The prime minister sees great opportunities for joint projects in the post-war period. According to him, steps are already being prepared to link the two countries' power grids and to carry out major transport construction. He attached particular importance to a motorway that will connect Slovakia and Ukraine.

Slovakia backs Ukraine's path to the EU

In his talks with the Ukrainian prime minister, Fico said, they discussed not only the war but also international politics and Ukraine's wish to join the European Union. He said Slovakia fully respects its neighbour's European ambitions: every country that wants to become an EU member has the right to apply, meet the conditions and join the bloc.

Bratislava is ready to pass on its experience of both accession negotiations and membership itself. Fico expects the next joint cabinet meeting to take place soon, and he backed the idea of creating a joint business forum.

Earlier anti-Ukrainian statements

Fico has previously drawn attention with trips to Moscow and harsh remarks about Ukraine's leadership. According to Ukrainian journalist Yurii Panchenko of European Pravda, these were also discussed in Lviv. He told Aktuality.sk, citing a senior Ukrainian government official, that the Slovak prime minister raised the subject himself at the start of the talks and asked the Ukrainian side not to pay attention to such statements. He explained that they are aimed not at Ukrainian partners but at his own voters.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz