Fico Expects War in Ukraine to Come to End Soon

Bratislava, October 16 (TASR) - Attending a session of the parliamentary European affairs committee on Wednesday before departing for a European Council meeting later this week, Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) opined that the end of the war in Ukraine is coming soon. "The probability of ending the war in Ukraine in a short time is very high," said the prime minister, remarking that he expects the European Council meeting to indicate when that could be the case, "as the topic of inviting Ukraine to NATO is suddenly being brought up". In his opinion, this invitation wouldn't be "free of charge". The premier wished Ukraine a just peace, but asked whether it is possible to achieve as things stand. He reiterated that his government supports Ukraine's territorial integrity and that he will support any peace plan put forward to resolve the conflict. Furthermore, he claimed that peace negotiations will also be on the agenda of his upcoming visit to China. At the same time, Fico said that he's always sought balanced relations with Russia. It should be accepted, he opined, that the Russians won't leave Crimea and other territories such as Donetsk and Luhansk. In his view, the Russians are gaining more and more territories, and the conflict has no military solution. The premier said Slovakia that continues to provide humanitarian aid to Ukraine, adding that the most needed support is the supply of electricity. He expects cooperation from Ukraine in the import of oil and gas to Slovakia. "I refuse to import oil from somewhere across the Adriatic," he noted, explaining that fees would grow if this was the case. "It is our duty to ensure that transit via Slovakia continues, that transit via Ukraine continues, be it oil or gas," he remarked. zel/mcs