Lavrov (l) pictured with Fico, then prime minister, in Bratislava on April 4, 2015. (source: TASR)
Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer) has earned warm praise from Russia's foreign minister for remarks he made on October 6 in a speech to mark the 80th anniversary of the battles at Dukla Pass during the early stages of the liberation of Czechoslovakia in 1944, reports TVnoviny. sk.
Fico criticised some MEPs for discussing the war in Ukraine "with the ease of a spring breeze" when it comes to medium- and long-range missiles.
"Figuratively speaking, perhaps one such missile could destroy a small fountain in Brussels, so they might understand what they are really talking about," he remarked.
Sergei Lavrov and Robert Fico in 2015 during a visit by Lavrov to the Soviet war memorial at Slavín in Bratislava. (source: TASR - Gabriel Kuchta)
His comments drew criticism from Western media and politicians, but were endorsed by Moscow, specifically Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
In response to Fico's statements, Lavrov noted that Europe should listen to the words of the Slovak prime minister. "He is an intelligent, decent person, an honest politician – there are few of them," Lavrov told reporters.
Fico added that he did not come to Dukla to celebrate war, suffering and death, but to celebrate peace. The battles in and around Dukla, eastern Slovakia, in 1944 claimed more than 60,000 lives.
From left to right: Former President Rudolf Schuster, Acting Speaker of Parliament Peter Žiga, Prime Minister Robert Fico and President Peter Pellegrini during the celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the Carpathian-Dukla Operation at the Memorial of the Czechoslovak Army Corps in Dukla, eastern Slovakia, on October 6, 2024. (source: TASR)
"I regret that we have such a perverse trend, especially in Europe, where instead of making every effort to stop the clanging of weapons, we hear thunderous applause, loud encouragement, and often very significant material decisions that only serve to further encourage the war," Fico said. He called for an end to what he characterised as the "mutual killing of Slavs".
Ahead of last year's parliamentary elections, Robert Fico vowed to fully stop military aid to Ukraine. After his victory, he softened his stance, halting military support from Slovakia's armed forces but continuing to back commercial arms contracts for Slovak defence companies.
The current war began in February 2022, when Russia launch an unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
On October 6, Robert Fico also referenced a new British book on the Second World War, now translated into Slovak, criticising it for omitting the Slovak resistance against the Nazis during the 1944 Slovak National Uprising, as well as the Carpathian-Dukla operation, one of the largest mountain battles of the war.
“Liberty came from the East. Nothing can change this truth,” Fico went on to declare, expressing his desire to visit Moscow next May to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Second World War. “If the opportunity arises, I will gladly visit Moscow next May and thank the liberators.”
