“Ukraine is not a sovereign and independent country, it is under the absolute influence of the United States of America. » It is also one of the countries “the most corrupt in the world”which holds a position “unrealistic” fighting for “Let the Russians leave Donbass or Crimea”. These comments, which fit perfectly with Kremlin propaganda, were made on Saturday January 20 on Slovak public television by Robert Fico, the Prime Minister of this Central European country bordering Ukraine, of which the European Union is worried that it is falling into the pro-Russian camp, on the model of Hungary.
Back in power since October 2023 after having campaigned by promising to stop giving arms to Ukraine, this 59-year-old national-populist left leader is working to multiply pro-Russian signals aimed at the 5.5 million of Slovaks. In December, for example, he demanded that a Slovak citizen at the head of the pro-Russian biker group The Night Wolves be removed from the European sanctions lists established since the start of the war. As for its culture minister, appointed by her far-right allies, she announced that Bratislava would relaunch cooperation programs with Russia and Belarus.
Unlike his model, the Hungarian nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the Slovak has so far taken care not to undermine European unity over the war in Ukraine. Just four days after his remarkable remarks on Slovak television, this recognized master of doublespeak was able to affirm, during a trip to Ukraine, that he was in reality counting ” to strenghten “ his ties with his neighbor.
From Ukraine, he certainly confirmed that Slovakia was no longer going to donate weapons from its military arsenal – which has in any case already been well depleted to support Kiev – but he added that the very crucial factories of weapons could continue to work at full capacity for the Ukrainian army, on a commercial basis. Unlike Hungary, which still threatens to veto it, the Slovak government has also committed to supporting the financial aid of 50 billion euros which is to be discussed on Thursday by the European Council.
Low interest in foreign policy
“Robert Fico is not Viktor Orban”argues Michal Vasecka, sociologist at the Bratislava Policy Institute, to explain this notable difference in the diplomatic strategy of the two countries behind very similar pro-Russian positions on the front. “He is in reality very little interested in foreign policy, he does not dream of being the vanguard of illiberal Europe, what interests him is above all the European funds that he and his party want to be able to divert », he believes about this leader who has been involved in multiple scandals.
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