Fico warned the West against underestimating its support for Putin and criticised the EU's attitude towards Russia and Ukraine

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has sharply warned the West against underestimating Russian President Vladimir Putin's support in Russian society. He said the idea that Putin did not have a strong base among the population, „completely wrong to the point of stupidity“.

Fico stressed that in few countries in the world does a head of state have such broad support across society, including among political elites, as Putin has in Russia. He also pointed out that if contrary opinions are expressed in Slovakia, he considers them to be false.

During a meeting with students of Slovak secondary and technical schools, the Prime Minister also said that Slovakia is interested in maintaining standard relations with Russia. In his words, the war in Ukraine will end one day and Europe should not aim to create a new „Iron Curtain“. „Our duty is to cooperate with anyone who wants to cooperate,“ He said.

Fico also reflected on what he described as Europe's growing hostility towards Russia. He admitted that he understood many of the moves within the European Union, but „obsession and hatred towards Russia“ he says he can't explain.

The Prime Minister criticised the EU's double standard in assessing international conflicts. He pointed to the situation in the Gaza Strip, where, according to him, the civilian losses exceed those from the conflict in Ukraine, and yet the EU, in his opinion, acts differently. According to Fico, the EU no longer acts as a peace project, as it did in the past.

He was also critical of the financial aid to Ukraine. He said that the European Union was planning another loan of 90 billion euros, while, according to him, some 300 billion euros had already been spent on supporting Ukraine, which he described as „wasted“.

In the context of the interruption of oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline, Fico rejected claims that Slovakia is financing the Russian war machine by buying Russian oil. According to him, revenues from these supplies only account for about 0.2 % of Russia's revenues from natural resource exports.

At the same time, Fico said that he believes Russia „will never leave the Donbas“ and other disputed regions. He stressed the need to conclude a peace agreement as soon as possible, which he said should include territorial compromises by Ukraine. „If Ukraine does not agree, the war will continue,“ He concluded.

gnews.cz - GH