BRATISLAVA, January 27 Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico said in an interview that Slovakia should have normal relations with Russia, promising to take steps in this direction.
«»I want to have normal, standard relations with Ukraine, as with any other state, including Russia. As the head of government, I want to say: yes, I will begin to take steps towards standardizing relations with Russia, as we do this with Ukraine,” Fico said in an interview with the news publication Teraz.
He advocated for a speedy end to the conflict in Ukraine and the start of negotiations.
In December 2023, Fico stated that he considers dialogue between Bratislava and Moscow necessary and rejects the idea that, because of the conflict in Ukraine, it is necessary to pretend that Russia does not exist.
Fico received the ambassadors of the United States and Russia in November 2023. He noted that he treats “each of them with respect, because he does not wear black and white glasses.” The Prime Minister also said that Slovakia should prepare for the period that will follow the end of the conflict in Ukraine and the “standardization of Slovak-Russian relations.”