Danko: I Believe that Trump-Putin Talks Will Quickly End War in Ukraine

Bratislava, November 20 (TASR) - Leader of the co-governing Slovak National Party (SNS) and House Vice-chair Andrej Danko in an interview for TASR TV likened the expected peace talks between US president-elect Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin to the dialogue between Mikhail Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan, which ended the Cold War years ago. Danko views outgoing US President Joe Biden's decision to allow Ukraine to use American long-range missiles on Russian territory as a threat to peace in Europe. "I hope that, like I was pleased by the dialogue between Gorbachev and Reagan at that time, I will see Putin and Trump negotiate now and that it will end [the war] in Ukraine very quickly," he said. The SNS leader noted that he's asked Peter Ziga (Voice-SD), who has been tasked with heading Parliament on a temporary basis, for permission to pay a visit to Russia as a House vice-chair in the second week of January. He'd like to meet Russian State Duma chairman Vyacheslav Volodin and Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov there. "I have an open invitation that was sent in June," he said, adding that he wants to use his contacts in Russia to improve Russian-Slovak relations. "I believe that there will also be a thaw in relations between the Russian Federation and the USA, and it would be good to be one of the first countries to lend a hand there," said Danko. According to Danko, SNS nominees are active in communication with foreign partners. Environment Minister Tomas Taraba recently held talks with Italian Infrastructure and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini, and Culture Minister Martina Simkovicova is actively communicating with Hungary regarding an amendment to the law on the state language that is being prepared. The Sport Ministry is holding talks with Hungary as well, as the Hungary offers Slovakia the opportunity to co-organise several joint sporting events. "The Hungarians want to bid to organise the Olympics in 2036," said Danko, adding that cooperation with Slovakia could form part of their proposal. Concerning the situation in the governing coalition, Danko noted that SNS as the oldest political party in Slovakia gave an opportunity to run for parliament even to representatives of national forces who weren't its members. "Everyone was on our slate on his or her own," stated Danko, adding that SNS strove to create all the conditions for a clear relationship between itself and its candidates. As a result of the decision of Rudolf Huliak and two other MPs to quit the SNS caucus, the coalition can now count with certainty only on the support of a narrow majority of 76 MPs, stated the SNS leader. "We 76 MPs must deal with the state budget in December. There's no more important law, and I'm positive that we will manage it," stated Danko, adding that the coalition will have to sit next spring to evaluate the situation both in the political and economic field. ko/df