Fico Considers Attending Victory Day Celebration in Russia in 2025 'Personal Duty'
07:28 GMT 12.12.2024 (Updated: 11:58 GMT 12.12.2024)
© AP Photo / Radovan Stoklasa
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MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Thursday he considers it a "personal duty" to visit Russia for Victory Day celebration in 2025.
He added that fascism would never have been defeated without the Soviet Union.
"How can anyone tell me that I cannot go to Russia to celebrate the end of World War II and the victory over fascism, when Slovakia was liberated by the Red Army? The people of Slovakia realize this, and I consider it a personal duty," Fico told the media.
19 November 2024, 13:25 GMT
Without the Soviet Union, World War II would never have been won and fascism would never have been defeated, the prime minister added.
Fico said in late November that he had received and accepted an official invitation from Russian President Vladimir Putin to participate in the celebration of Victory Day in Moscow in 2025.
Bad Outlook for Ukraine
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said the Ukraine conflict could not end well for Kiev, which would end up losing territory and would not be invited to join NATO.
"If this [the conflict] will harm anyone, it will be Ukraine, because it has allowed itself to be dragged into this reckless scheme, which cannot end well for the country. It will lose territory and will not be invited into NATO," Fico told the media.
At some point, the West will understand that its plan "did not work out" and will sacrifice Ukraine, Fico said.
Europe should start normal dialogue with Russia, Robert Fico said.
"I want normalization of relations with Russia. We must start a normal dialogue, because what is happening today is not normal. And I guarantee that once the war is over for everyone, everything will be as usual. Everyone will go there [to Russia], everyone will want to buy and sell," Fico told the media.
The prime minister added that he would never support Ukraine's accession to NATO as long as he held the post of head of government.
Fico also said that the West had failed to weaken Russia through the conflict in Ukraine and that anti-Russia sanctions were ineffective, while Kiev was no longer strong enough for potential negotiations.
"The West has decided to use this conflict to weaken Russia. Sanctions were imposed [on Russia], billions of euros and dollars are being sent to Ukraine, along with much humanitarian aid and weapons. What is the result? The Russians are reclaiming more and more territory, the sanctions are not working, and Ukraine is no longer strong enough for possible negotiations," Fico said.
