Fico, who has long opposed sending troops to Ukraine and takes a stance some critics consider pro-Russian, did not elaborate, and other European leaders have yet to comment on his remarks.
According to the report, the Slovak prime minister said he “cannot say for what purpose and what they will do there” but learned regarding it from notes in preparation for a meeting of European leaders in Paris.
“I will limit myself to saying that these theses mean that several NATO and EU member states are considering the possibility of sending their troops to Ukraine on the basis of bilateral agreements,” the Prime Minister noted.
In his view, such a move would lead to escalation.
R. Fico emphasized that Slovakia will not send its army to Ukraine, but will offer Ukraine the opportunity to train the Ukrainian army, including demining units, on its territory.
The prime minister also indicated that he would like to start the topic of the peace plan during the meeting in Paris.
“How is it possible that we have a military plan but no peace plan?” R. Fico asked.
On Monday, at the initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron
More than 20 Western leaders are gathering in Paris to send a message to Russia regarding Europe’s strong support for Ukraine.
According to the sources, the meeting will not announce new arms supplies to Ukraine, but rather discuss ways to increase effectiveness on the ground and strengthen coordination between allies and Ukraine.
One area where progress might be made is the issue of acquiring hundreds of thousands of munitions from third countries for delivery to Ukraine.
R. Fico said that the convening of the meeting shows that the Western strategy regarding Ukraine has failed. He said he intends to take part in a constructive mood, although the material of the debate “sent shivers down his spine,” the prime minister was quoted as saying by the Reuters news agency.
#prime #minister #Slovakia #statements #NATO #possibility #sending #troops #Ukraine
2024-04-24 20:03:34
