Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Russia is open to a Slovak proposal to host peace talks with Ukraine to end a conflict that he said Russia was determined to bring to a conclusion.
Putin, who received Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in the Kremlin this week, said Fico, an outspoken opponent of the European Union's support for Ukraine, had offered his country to host talks between Russia and Ukraine.
Putin said that the Slovak authorities “…would be happy to offer their own country as a platform for negotiations. We do not object, if necessary. Why not? Since Slovakia takes such a neutral position.”
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Slovakia is seen as one of a growing group of central and eastern European EU member states that are skeptical of support for Ukraine and supportive of negotiations with Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has repeatedly criticized Slovakia, which borders Ukraine, for the friendly tone Fico has adopted towards Russia since his return to power after the 2023 elections.
Putin has repeatedly said Russia is open to talks to end the conflict with kyiv but would still achieve its goals in Ukraine.
Putin said Thursday that Russia could again use the new intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile known as Oreshnik, but was in no rush to do so.
“We do not exclude the possibility of using it today and tomorrow, if necessary,” Putin said.
If necessary, Putin said, Russia could use more powerful intermediate-range weapons.