Slovakian Prime Minister praises Orban for Kremlin visit
Robert Fico survived an attempt on his life in May, and for the first time since then, the Slovak prime minister has appeared in public. At a celebration for the feast day of the Slavic apostles Cyril and Method, Fico criticized a "liiberal ideology" and praised his Hungarian colleague Viktor Orban for his mediation efforts in the Ukraine conflict.
To prevent the war in Ukraine from getting out of control and leading to an even larger military conflict, "there can never be enough peace initiatives," Fico said. He expressed his "admiration" for Orban for having traveled to both Kiev and Moscow to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin. If his health had allowed, Fico said he would have been happy to join.
Leading EU politicians criticized Orban's meeting with Putin harshly. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen drew a comparison to the appeasement policy towards Nazi Germany in the 1930s. The White House called the Kreml visit "counterproductive" for the promotion of Ukraine's territorial integrity. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg also took a clear distance from Orban. However, Fico praised Orban's mediation attempt. "Peace is not everything, but 'without peace, nothing is," he said.
Prime Minister Fico was shot at point-blank range by a government opponent on May 15, as he left a government meeting in the small town of Handlova to face waiting supporters. The attacker, who was immediately arrested after the shooting, explained his actions with hatred towards Fico and the government and used similar language as the liberal opposition.
- Fico commended Viktor Orban for his efforts in mediating the Ukraine conflict, highlighting his meetings with both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
- In his criticism of liberal ideology, Fico praised Orban for standing against it, referencing Orban's visit to Russia and his meetings with Putin.
- Despite strong criticism from leading EU politicians, including EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, Fico stood by Orban's attempt at mediation, stating, "Peace is not everything, but 'without peace, nothing is.'"
