The visit of the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to the Slovak capital, Bratislava, is in the final stages of preparation. Only the specific dates of the trip remain to be coordinated. This was revealed in a statement by the Slovak Minister of Foreign Affairs, Juraj Blanar, published on Facebook.
According to Blanar, he received information about the Ukrainian leader's readiness for the visit personally during a phone call with the Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andriy Sybiha. The head of Ukrainian diplomacy confirmed Zelenskyy's interest in the trip, moving the issue from the stage of discussions to the technical coordination of the calendar.
Next Step — Meeting in Lviv
In addition to preparing the visit of the head of state, the parties have made progress in government dialogue issues. Minister Blanar reminded of the agreements reached in Gdańsk during the Ukraine Reconstruction Conference. At that time, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko agreed that the next joint meeting of the governments of the two countries would take place on Ukrainian territory, in Lviv.
Context of Relations: From Meetings to Disagreements
The dialogue between Kyiv and Bratislava is developing in a complex geopolitical context. Robert Fico has repeatedly stated his position regarding the war, asserting that ending the full-scale conflict is possible exclusively through negotiations, not on the battlefield. This viewpoint has become one of the central points in his rhetoric.
An important stage in bilateral relations was the meeting held on June 19, when Volodymyr Zelenskyy personally spoke with Robert Fico. During the conversation, the parties discussed a wide range of issues. As noted, the dialogue covered both topics where the leaders share a common vision and issues where their positions differ significantly.
Fico's Plans for a Peace Channel and Compensation
Before the meeting with the Ukrainian president, the Slovak Prime Minister put forward several initiatives. In particular, Fico announced his intention to propose to the European Union the creation of a direct communication channel between Ukraine and Russia. At the same time, he expressed his readiness to support the final communique of the Ukraine summit.
Separately, it is worth noting the economic aspect of cooperation. Earlier, media reports appeared stating that Fico intends to discuss with EU partners the issue of compensating for the expenses Slovakia incurred while providing aid to Ukraine. This issue could become one of the topics for discussion within the framework of upcoming high-level contacts.