Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico said that discussing Ukraine's prospects for NATO membership in the current geopolitical situation is premature and could become a serious obstacle to any attempts to achieve peace. The statement comes amid the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine and growing tensions between NATO countries and Moscow.
"The issue of Ukraine joining NATO at this stage only aggravates the situation and could derail any peace talks. We must focus on de-escalating the conflict, not on actions that could be perceived as a provocation by one of the parties.", Fico emphasized.
The position of the head of the Slovak government echoes the sentiments of a number of countries advocating a more cautious approach to NATO expansion. Despite support from Western countries for Ukraine, the prospect of its entry into the alliance remains one of the most controversial topics in international politics. Russia has repeatedly stated that it considers NATO expansion a threat to its security and demands legal guarantees from the West that Ukraine will not be included in the alliance.
According to Fico, stability in the region can only be achieved through compromise.
"A peaceful settlement must take into account the interests of all parties. Any attempt to impose one position will lead to a prolongation of the conflict and an increase in the number of victims.", - he added.