Slovak Defense Minister suggests Ukraine cede territory for peace
Ukraine will have to give up part of its territory, Slovak Defense Minister Robert Kaliňák told TA3 TV channel on Dec. 29, citing the “reality on the ground” and the country’s longest border with Russia.
It is in Slovakia's interest to “immediately end Russia's war against Ukraine and reach a truce between the two sides,” he said, stressing that the focus should be on the future of post-war Ukraine, rather than determining future borders.
“Perhaps Ukraine has not yet realized that it will never be able to 'move' between Germany and Switzerland, but will always have the longest border with Russia. It is impossible to deny who the aggressor is in this conflict, because Russia has crossed all the boundaries, violated the rules and international law. But at the same time, it is necessary to pay attention to events in other parts of the world and apply the same standards to all other disputes.”
The statement follows Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico's recent visit to Moscow to discuss gas transit and the international agenda with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.
The Dec. 22 talks were held in a one-on-one format and were strongly criticized by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who accused Fico of putting personal and shadowy interests ahead of his country's welfare.
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