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Slovakia’s Russia-friendly prime minister has made an unexpected U-turn on Ukraine, pledging support on his first trip to the war-torn country only days after questioning Ukrainian sovereignty.
Robert Fico, who came to office in October after campaigning to sever his nation’s military aid to Kyiv and oppose further sanctions against Russia, on Wednesday met his Ukrainian counterpart Denys Shmyhal in the city of Uzhhorod, near the Slovak border.
Fico claimed there were only “minor” political differences with Kyiv, which were part of “political life”, adding: “We really want to assist you, we really want to help you.”
Shmyhal responded that he stood ready to develop “pragmatic and very reliable relations” between the two countries.
Shmyhal later said in a statement that Fico had pledged not to stop Slovak companies from supplying weapons to Ukraine and help build its defences. Bratislava will also back Kyiv’s EU membership bid and funding, the Ukrainian prime minister said.
Fico’s promises in Ukraine stand in stark contrast with provocative comments he made in recent days, prompting authorities in Kyiv to ask for a rebuttal and analysts to cast doubt about the meeting going ahead.
Over the weekend, Fico questioned the sovereignty of Ukraine, claiming that it was under the “absolute influence of the United States”. He called on Kyiv to cede territory to Russia to bring the war to an end and said Slovakia would oppose Ukraine joining Nato, as such a move could trigger a third world war.
On Tuesday, he went even further, by suggesting there was no war happening in Kyiv at all. When asked why he was only travelling to Uzhhorod and not as far as the capital, Fico said: “Do you really believe there is a war in Kyiv? I hope you’re not being serious . . . Life is perfectly normal there.”
Fico’s unfounded claim coincided with a wave of Russian missile attacks on Kyiv and other cities that the Ukrainian authorities said killed 18 people and targeted civilian buildings.
“There has been a big discrepancy between Fico’s rhetoric inside and outside the country,” said Pavol Demeš, a former Slovak foreign minister. “I think Ukraine has been very skilfully working on not escalating these kinds of tensions, but the number of malignant statements made by Fico recently has been mind-boggling for many of us who have worked in foreign policy because he ruined the image of our country before an important visit.”
The populist Fico returned to the Slovak premiership in October as leader of a three-party coalition that stoked up anti-Ukrainian sentiment. He had previously served three times as prime minister, most recently until 2018 when he stepped down amid anti-government protests.
The opposition has long accused him of using Russian help in getting re-elected. His anti-Ukraine comments showed that “he is simply paying back the debt to Russia for their support before Slovakia’s election”, said Jaroslav Naď, a former Slovak defence minister. Fico has denied any Russian meddling in his election win.
Fico has also alarmed Brussels by teaming up with Viktor Orbán, Hungary’s pro-Russia prime minister. Their partnership could complicate the EU’s efforts to maintain united support for Ukraine. “Ukraine has no military solution and the current strategy is not working,” Fico said in Budapest last week.
But as with overall support for Ukraine, Fico has also shifted in his approach towards military exports. Last year he condemned the previous government for supplying MiG-29 fighter aircraft to Kyiv and promised instead a ban on weapons exports as soon as he took office. But in November, the government said the ban only applied to state-owned manufacturers, not private companies. The Slovak parliament further relaxed the rules this month, while the defence ministry granted €100mn in subsidies to defence manufacturers.
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