Putin willing for Slovakia to host future peace negotiations on Ukraine

MADRID Dec. 27 () –

The president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, stated this Thursday that he is willing for Slovakia to host future peace negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, after he discussed this possibility with the Slovak Prime Minister, Robert Fico. , during his visit to Moscow.

Putin has explained to the media that the Slovak head of government “spoke, above all, about a peaceful agreement towards Ukraine”, focusing his attention on this issue and proposing to “negotiate a peaceful solution to the conflict”, according to statements collected by the Russian news agency Interfax.

“As for the venue, he said that if it comes to negotiations, they would be happy to provide a platform for his country to conduct such negotiations. We are not opposed to this because from our point of view Slovakia takes a neutral position which is acceptable for us,” he said.

Putin’s statements have provoked strong opposition in Slovakia, where the leader of the largest opposition party, Michal Simecka, has criticized the idea and described it as “absurd” that the country’s foreign policy is communicated by someone other than his own Government. Likewise, he has called Putin a “criminal”, as can be read in a publication on his profile on the social network Facebook.

For its part, the Slovak Foreign Ministry confirmed in a statement to which dpa had access that it had offered to serve as a venue for peace talks between kyiv and Moscow, noting that it had conveyed its willingness to the Ukrainian Government at the beginning of October. . He has also emphasized his commitment to a non-military solution and his willingness to contribute to peace efforts.

Fico met with Putin on Sunday in a rare surprise visit by a leader of a European Union member country to Moscow, in which he said they discussed Russian gas supplies to Slovakia ahead of the end of the agreement. on gas transit through Ukraine.