Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico stated on Tuesday that “there’s no battle in Kyiv,” describing life in Ukraine’s capital as “completely regular.”
“Do you actually suppose there’s battle in Kyiv? I hope you’re not critical … life there’s completely regular,” Fico instructed a press convention when requested why he’s not assembly Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal in Ukraine’s largest metropolis, the place he may higher grasp the impression of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ongoing battle.
Fico and Shmyhal are as a substitute set to satisfy Wednesday within the western Ukrainian metropolis of Uzhhorod close to the Slovak border. Fico stated the selection of metropolis was a sensible one and had been proposed by the Ukrainian facet.
The Slovak chief’s controversial remarks about security in Ukraine’s capital got here the identical day Russia attacked the nation with 41 missiles, leaving a number of individuals useless in Kyiv and Kharkiv, dozens injured, and infrastructure in ruins.
Ukrainian officers had been livid with Fico, who has repeatedly drawn Kyiv’s ire — together with when he vowed throughout final yr’s basic election marketing campaign in Slovakia “to not ship one other bullet to Ukraine.”
“Let me let you know a few day in Kyiv,” senior Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksiy Goncharenko responded. “At this time everybody awakened at 5:43 a.m. as a result of the air raid alarm began. After which an hour later there have been already the primary explosions … How did the day begin in Bratislava? In all probability not with the sound of Russian missiles.
“But.”
It’s not the primary time even this month that Fico has sparked outrage along with his feedback concerning the battle. Over the weekend he instructed that Ukraine cede territory to Russia to cease its aggression, and reiterated his opposition to Ukraine’s need to affix the NATO navy alliance. He additionally forged doubt on Ukraine’s sovereignty, saying the nation is “below the whole affect and management of the US.”
Ukraine dismissed Fico’s proposal that it quit territory to Moscow. “No safety in Ukraine means no safety in Slovakia or Europe as an entire,” stated Ukrainian International Ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko.