The PM used an anti-Nazi commemoration to condemn “Russophobia” and argue that peace in Europe was possible “only with Russia”.
Prime Minister Robert Fico used one of Slovakia’s most important anti-fascist commemorations to attack Ukraine over its wartime nationalist heroes and argue that Russia should not be “demonised” or pushed out of Europe.
Speaking in Banská Bystrica on Saturday during celebrations of the 82nd anniversary of the Slovak National Uprising (SNP), Fico devoted a substantial part of his address to Russia and the war in Ukraine.
He did not directly mention or condemn Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Instead, he blamed Western countries for prolonging the conflict by supplying weapons and accused the European Union of relying too heavily on military solutions.
“The EU is a peace project and not an instrument for fighting Russia,” Fico said. “The EU does not need more weapons and Russophobia. The EU needs more diplomacy and concrete economic plans to help the economy.”
