Author: Tom Nicholson

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico told Russian President Vladimir Putin during a recent visit to Moscow that his country was prepared to broker peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, the TASS news agency reported Thursday. “If it comes to that, why not?” Putin told reporters at a press conference following a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council in Leningrad. “Because Slovakia holds a neutral position from our point of view. For us it’s an acceptable alternative.” Fico has emerged this year, alongside Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, as an advocate for Putin and for Russia within the European Union,…

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico vowed on Sunday to block Ukraine from joining NATO for as long as he is head of the country’s government. NATO’s leadership wants Ukraine to join the military alliance after its war with Russia ends in order to deter further aggression from Moscow, but Fico’s declaration highlights the political difficulties that are likely to arise in pursuing that aim. “As long as I am head of the Slovak government, I will direct the MPs that are under my control as chairman of the [ruling Smer] party never to agree to Ukraine’s joining NATO,” he said…