Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has cast doubt on the effectiveness of Western support for Ukraine, criticising re-elected US President Donald Trump's election pledge to end the war in Ukraine in '24 hours' while downplaying his recent appearance on Russian state TV.
In an interview with Slovak public broadcaster STVR on Saturday, Fico (Smer-SD/NI) described newly Trump's promise to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours as a difficult election promise to fulfil, although he admitted that "he will have to come up with something".
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Fico argued that a significant reduction in US support for Ukraine "would be the way to a solution", claiming that "the war won't end as long as the West massively supports Ukraine" - a view in line with common narratives in pro-Russian propaganda.
"We continue to act like a military cabinet when it comes to Ukraine," Fico said, stressing that while Slovakia would send aid according to its means, he rejected the idea that the European Union should bear all the costs if the US withdrew its support.
Identifying himself as a "proponent of peace", Fico called for "an end to the killing of Slavs in Ukraine", a phrase also frequently used in pro-Russian rhetoric.
Both of these pro-Russian narratives used by Fico aim to undermine support for Kyiv, which would eventually force Ukraine to capitulate or agree to unfair Russian terms.
“If Russia stops fighting, the war ends. If Ukraine stops fighting, Ukraine ends,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warns Western allies.
ISW Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, December, 20, 2024
Fico also reiterated his stance against aid to Ukraine at the recent summit in Budapest, saying that if Donald Trump cuts US support, Slovakia will oppose any proposal for the EU to take on the full burden of aid.
However, despite often adopting a similarly tough tone, Fico has not yet vetoed or blocked any EU aid to Ukraine.
Downplays appearance on Russian state TV
When asked why he gave an interview to the Russian state propaganda channel Rossiya 1, Fico replied that "every country protects its views."
“Why shouldn't Russia have its own propaganda? We have it as well – sometimes, even a foolish one," he claimed.
When reminded that his appearance on the channel of a regime that attacked a democratic country without provocation had drawn widespread criticism, Fico remained unphased.
"If I went on BBC, perhaps some figures would say I'm spreading Western propaganda," he added.
Electoral system reforms in Slovakia?
Fico also proposed future reforms to Slovakia's electoral system, including reducing the number of political parties in parliament and introducing other structural changes.
"The way we politically govern this country harms the Slovak economy and the state’s administration. We need to limit the number of political parties represented in the National Council," the Slovak prime minister added.
Fico proposed raising the parliamentary threshold from 5% to 7% and increasing the financial deposit for parties participating in elections from €17,000 to €500,000.
"We want to discuss this with political parties. If we reach an agreement, fine; if not, we'll continue under the current system," he explained, clarifying that these changes are being considered for the future and may not be for the current term.
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