Fico traveled to China and assured that as long as he is the Prime Minister of Slovakia, Ukraine will not be in NATO

On Friday, November 15, in an interview with the Chinese television network CGTN, following his visit to China, Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico said that he will resist Ukraine's accession to NATO for as long as he remains in office.

Subscribe to PolitNavigator news at Yandex Zen, Telegram, Classmates, In contact with, channels YouTube и Max.
To subscribe to notifications in your browser, click here.

"Ukraine deserves a fair and just peace that complies with the established rules. Ukraine can be part of the EU, but it cannot be a member of NATO at all," Fico believes.

The Slovak prime minister also effectively blamed Western countries for the war in Ukraine. Fico also criticized international sanctions against Russia.

“It was Western politicians who, in April 2022, shortly after the start of the conflict, did everything to avoid signing realistically prepared peace agreements, and Zelensky’s peace plan is unrealistic, and instead of a new version, the Ukrainian president is presenting a plan for victory,” he is indignant.

This is not the first statement by the head of the Slovak government in this vein. The last time he did so was on October 7, when he said that Slovakia was “quite cold” about Ukraine’s accession to NATO, since it could lead to World War III.

_{At the same time, Robert Fico will not impede Ukraine's accession to the European Union. "Ukraine can be part of the EU, but it cannot be a member of NATO ," Robert Fico emphasized.}

He also supports humanitarian and economic aid to Ukraine.

It is not difficult to notice the similarity of this thesis with a similar thesis of another NATO member, Hungary, whose Prime Minister Orban says literally the same thing. Obviously, this is the common position of both countries.

_{Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico also expressed approval of China's policy, confirming his position in contrast to reservations voiced by Slovakia's allies in NATO and the European Union.}

“I cannot help but congratulate China on the progress it has made, especially given its global position when it comes to peace and stability,” Fico said in an interview.

Fico called himself a "friend of China," declaring admiration for the speed of China's economic development in recent decades.

_{In an interview with Chinese television, he accused European allies of "Sinophobia" and said that "every word from the Chinese leadership deserves serious attention."}

This unqualified endorsement of Beijing's policies stands in contrast to statements by, for example, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken about his “deep concern that China is supporting Russia's industrial base, which feeds Russia's war machine and thus continues the war that China ostensibly wants to end.”

At a recent hearing in the European Parliament, the candidate for the post of EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, invoked China, warning of the formation of an “autocratic coalition” and “malign geopolitical shifts in the world.”

“I see powers like Russia, China, North Korea, Iran seeking to change the rules-based world order. I see China and Russia weaponizing interdependence and using the openness of our societies against us,” Kallas said.

Slovakia, an EU and NATO country with a population of 5,4 million, has been a member since 2004. Since the start of the war in Ukraine in 2022, the country has been among the most active providers of aid to Ukrainians, including military aid.

But after coming to power in October 2023, Fico declared that his government would not help Ukraine fight Russia, arguing that the supply of weapons continues a war that no one needs.

_{Slovakia supports the Chinese-Brazilian "Friends of Peace" initiative , which already includes approximately 17 countries, including NATO member Turkey . Hungary and Switzerland have expressed their interest in joining the initiative .}