MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia was open to a Slovakian proposal to hold peace talks with Ukraine to end the conflict which he said Russia was committed to reaching a resolution.
Putin, who this week hosted Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in the Kremlin, said that Fico, an outspoken opponent of the European Union's military support for Ukraine, had offered his country as a force in the talks between Russia and Ukraine.
Putin said the Slovak leaders “…will be happy to provide their country as a forum for dialogue. We are not opposed, if it comes to that. Why not? Since Slovakia takes a neutral position.”
Slovakia is seen as one of the growing camps of EU member states in the central and eastern part of the EU who are skeptical about support for Ukraine, and support for negotiations with Russia.
Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar said Slovakia had long sought a peaceful solution to the conflict and Putin's comments were a “good sign” of the end of the war.
“Slovak diplomacy is ready to contribute to the peace process in this way and we have communicated this option to Ukrainian partners,” at a joint cabinet meeting in October, Blanar said in a statement released late Thursday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has repeatedly criticized Slovakia, which borders Ukraine, for Fico's friendly tone towards Russia since returning to power after the 2023 election.
Putin has repeatedly said that Russia is open to negotiations to end the conflict with Kyiv, but will nevertheless achieve its goals in Ukraine.
Putin said on Thursday that Russia could use the hypersonic intermediate-range missile known as Oreshnik again but did not rush to do so.
“We exclude the possibility of using it today and tomorrow, if necessary,” Putin said.
If necessary, Putin said, Russia could use more powerful medium-range weapons.