‘The European Union needs Russia”: Fico says he wants to restore relations with Russia

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico announced his intention to restore relations with Russia after the end of the war in Ukraine. As informs portal Spravy, Fico expressed his belief that the European Union and Russia need each other for economic cooperation, and therefore seeks to restore normal relations between the two sides.
“If the war ends during the term of this government’s mandate, I will do everything to restore economic and normal relations with the Russian Federation. The European Union needs the Russian Federation, the Russian Federation needs the European Union. Friendly relations with Ukraine will be very important for us.”, he declared.
Fico also emphasized the importance of preserving the transit of Russian energy resources through Ukraine to Europe. In addition, he noted that many politicians are already starting to discuss possible compromises regarding the settlement of the situation in Ukraine.
We will remind you that in September, Slovakian Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar supported Ukraine’s aspirations to join the EU, but expressed doubts about its membership in NATO, believing that this could lead to new conflicts.
Earlier, the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, also stated that Ukraine should recognize that some territories may remain under Russian control, as neither side is capable of achieving their maximum goals in the war. He noted that fatigue from the conflict, which has lasted for more than 19 months, is growing in Europe, and some populist leaders are using it to undermine European unity.