Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has criticized the U.S. decision to allow Ukraine to strike Russian territory with long-range ATACMS missiles, claiming it harms “peace negotiations” and leads to escalation.
According to Fico, U.S. President Joe Biden authorized the use of ATACMS against targets on Russian soil “with the clear goal of completely derailing or delaying peace talks.”
He added that he instructed Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár and Defense Minister Robert Kaliňák not to support the U.S. decision at any international forum or in any way.
“This is an unprecedented escalation of tensions,” Fico believes. The Slovak prime minister was also surprised by how quickly some European countries supported the U.S. decision, stating that for Slovakia, as a neighbor to Ukraine, it is extremely important to ensure peace there.
“Those who want to see the continuation of the war in Ukraine are harming national state interests,” he concluded.
