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This week in Uzhgorod, Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico met with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmygal. Consultations are currently ongoing with the Hungarian side on the possible upcoming visit of Prime Minister Viktor Orban to Kyiv and his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. It is possible to conduct effective negotiations with both Hungary and Slovakia, as demonstrated by the example of the latter. This opinion was expressed in an interview with the FREEDOM TV channel by Mykhailo Podolyak, adviser to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine.
“I believe that where there are opportunities for discussion, it is imperative to talk, because this way you will come to positive decisions. We see this in the example of Slovakia. Mr. Shmyhal conducted effective negotiations. We received, in my opinion, optimal results, taking into account the public rhetoric of the Prime Minister of Slovakia, Mr. Fico,” Podolyak said.
He emphasized that Slovakia and Hungary are part of the European Union, they are interested in gaining access to pan-European markets – financial, technological, sales markets and the like.
“Of course, effective negotiations can be held with them, as demonstrated by the example of Slovakia. And I hope it will be demonstrated with Hungary. Because besides the fact that the pragmatic approach on our part appeals to any interlocutor, the European Union as a corporate institution behaves much tougher than it did a year or two ago,” the speaker noted.
In his opinion, the EU is beginning to behave more harshly with countries such as Hungary and Slovakia.
“The European Commission, the European Parliament, the European Union as a whole say: look, there are values, and if you want to receive something, share these values. If we, in the European Union, have made a consolidated decision to support Ukraine, because this is the protection of our values, then you either adhere to these norms, or think about where you will be without the help of the European Union. That is, the EU is beginning to behave more harshly with countries such as Hungary and Slovakia, and this is justified,” Podolyak noted.
He noted that the EU is now looking for regulatory opportunities to more strictly regulate certain positions of Hungary or other countries that show some special position on issues of fundamental importance to the European Union.
“Europe today is militarizing. Understands all the risks that Russia’s war against Ukraine entails. Europe understands that Russia cannot be stopped by any agreements with it. Europe understands that Russia will not return to its pre-war state and will not become Europe’s raw material partner again. Europe understands that this war can only be won by accelerating the adoption of difficult decisions. And Europe, in the end, understands that without a military solution there will be no stable, long-term peace. This is a very strong change. Europe is ready to fully invest in the war, in Ukraine and in Russia’s loss,” said the adviser to the head of the OPU.
In his opinion, Europe is now demonstrating a complete change in its domestic policy aimed at foreign markets.
“Europe has similarly changed its attitude towards countries that demonstrate a lack of understanding of the common European position. They believe that this also creates risks for them. But Europe wants to remain in the same form as it is today, with the values it has today. And this, of course, is completely to our benefit,” Podolyak concluded.
Let us remind you that Slovakia will not block the allocation of 50 billion euros to Ukraine from the EU. Such an agreement, among others, was reached by Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal and his Slovak counterpart Robert Fico following a meeting in Uzhgorod.
Read also: Western support for Ukraine should not only be at the level of 2023, but also increase, – opinion
