Slovakia's PM Fico casts doubt on Ukraine's EU readiness, stops short of blocking talks

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico called Ukraine "absolutely not ready" to start negotiations on joining the European Union, but promised that his country would not block this decision at the EU summit on Thursday, reports Pravda Slovakia.

"We will not obstruct the European Council's decision to start negotiations with Ukraine on joining the EU. This is a political decision, it has nothing to do with reality. Ukraine is absolutely not ready to start negotiations," he said.

Prior to that, Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár also stated that the country will support the decision to open negotiations.

At the same time, Hungary, led by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, continues to stand its ground - Budapest declares that it will not allow Ukraine's European integration, as it allegedly did not fulfill the requirements of the European Commission and "oppresses" the rights of the Hungarian national minority in Transcarpathia. Periodically, Hungary comes up with new reasons "why".

A few days ago, before the meeting of European leaders, key Ukrainian ministers - Dmytro Kuleba and Rustem Umerov - held talks with their Hungarian counterparts, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy managed to communicate with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán at the inauguration of the new president of Argentina.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the Alliance will continue to provide military assistance to Ukraine, despite Hungary's position.

On October 25, 2023, the President of Slovakia, Zuzana Čaputova, officially approved the country's new government headed by Fico.

On November 8, Fico blocked the proposal of the previous Cabinet to provide military aid to Ukraine for 40.3 million euros.