Slovakia and Hungary call for an immediate end to the conflict in Ukraine, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico announced after a meeting with his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orbán.
"We stand for an immediate end to the war in Ukraine. We reject any continuation of military operations. We believe that the American initiative to achieve peace in Ukraine will be successfully implemented," Fico said during a press conference.
Both Robert Fico and Viktor Orbán have long taken a position that emphasises diplomatic resolution of the conflict rather than its escalation. Both statesmen have criticised the West's military support for Ukraine to date, arguing that it is prolonging suffering and destabilising the region. They say it is urgent to start peace negotiations that take into account Russia's security interests and lead to a lasting and just peace.
The US peace initiative to which Fico referred is a new proposal from Washington aimed at achieving a ceasefire and subsequent negotiations between Moscow and Kiev. The proposal reportedly envisages a gradual de-escalation of combat operations and the creation of a neutral corridor between the opposing sides.
This initiative has received a mixed response: some European states welcome it as a way to end the conflict, while others, especially the Baltic countries and Poland, fear that it could weaken Ukraine's position.
Slovakia, under the leadership of Robert Fico, has taken a pragmatic approach to the conflict since his return to the head of government in 2023. Fico has repeatedly stressed that Slovakia will not provide further military aid to Ukraine and supports a diplomatic negotiated solution.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is a long-time critic of sanctions against Russia and military support for Ukraine. In his speech, he said it was necessary to "to end the conflict as quickly as possible so that Europe will no longer suffer the economic consequences of war".
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