Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Russia is open to Slovakia hosting possible peace talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
Putin told journalists north of St. Petersburg that Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico made the proposal during his visit to Moscow last Sunday, proposing Slovakia as a location for negotiations.
The Kremlin leader pointed to Slovakia’s neutral stance as a factor that makes the country a suitable venue for such discussions.
However, Putin’s comments have sparked strong opposition in Slovakia. Michal Simecka, leader of the main opposition party, criticized the idea in a post on Facebook, calling it “absurd” for Slovakia’s foreign policy to be communicated by anyone other than its own government. He called Putin a criminal.
“If Fico wants peace, he must first urge Putin to stop his attacks and stop killing innocent people in Ukraine,” Simecka said.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry in Bratislava confirmed in a statement seen by dpa on Thursday evening that it had offered to serve as a venue for possible Russian-Ukrainian peace talks.
Slovakia had expressed its readiness to the Ukrainian government earlier in October, the ministry said, emphasizing its commitment to a non-military solution and its willingness to contribute to peace efforts.
Putin started the war against Ukraine in February 2022.
