Zelenskyy explains Russian aggression to Fico with example of assassination attempt

President Zelenskyy recounted a discussion with Fico where he used the example of an assassination attempt on the Slovak PM to illustrate the nature of Russian aggression against Ukraine, Polish media Onet.pl reported.

"We were sitting among all the EU leaders, and he told me, 'We still need to understand where the evil lies and where it doesn't.' I replied, 'We cannot forgive a killer.' I asked him, 'Why didn't you forgive your attacker? Why did you arrest the person who shot at you?'" Zelenskyy said.

The Ukrainian leader reminded Fico that he and other European leaders condemned the attack on the PM, saying, "Shooting people is a crime. And Putin does the same — he shoots others."

• On May 15, 2024, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico survived an assassination attempt. The shooting occurred in the town of Handlová during an off-site government session. Slovakia's Interior Minister later announced that the PM was in critical condition and undergoing surgery. The Slovak government subsequently confirmed the operation was successful, and Fico's life was no longer in danger.
• On May 16, the suspect was charged with attempted premeditated murder and was detained on May 18.
• On May 23, during questioning, the suspect claimed he did not intend to kill Fico but wanted to "harm his health" to prevent him from continuing his policies, particularly those involving Ukraine aid cuts and relations with the European Union.