Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico has called for the resignation of Kaja Kallas from her post as the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, arguing that her leadership has weakened the bloc’s ability to deal with current international challenges.
“We must replace Ms. Kallas,” Fico said, explaining that her activities have significantly hindered the EU’s ability to respond effectively to contemporary challenges or to establish coherent policies in the face of current international issues. He warned that the bloc is facing severe strain, stating: “The EU is facing an unprecedented crisis. Only those who are resilient–whether economically, militarily, or in the energy sector–will endure.”
Fico underlined that the post-World War II global order has been fundamentally altered following the U.S. military operation in Venezuela and said he is awaiting the European Union’s response to these developments. The Slovak premier noted that the EU has twice the population of the U.S. but still trails behind in economic performance and lacks even more in diplomatic strength.
According to the prime minister, violations of international law are repeatedly and increasingly broken by the U.S., by Russia or Israel, all which the EU should call out and enforce order. However, the bloc is unable to agree on virtually anything, making the Union a bystander of international politics, without a unified stance on foreign policy. According to Fico, a strong High Representative for Foreign Affairs is needed to develop a European stance who is more realistic than Kaja Kallas, whose idealism is blocking progress for the Union.
Despite his criticism, the prime minister reaffirmed that the EU remains Slovakia’s “living space” and stressed that his country continues to see itself as an integral part of the bloc.
On military involvement in Ukraine, Fico confirmed that Slovakia, under his leadership, will not send troops to the country and will instead continue providing humanitarian aid. He criticized France and the United Kingdom for their plans to deploy soldiers to Ukraine, describing such moves as provocative and potentially escalating the conflict.
“This is a provocation” Fico stated.
Russian officials have warned that any foreign soldier on Ukrainian territory will be considered a legitimate target. I ask: is this about peace or war? Are we willing to start a conflict at any cost?
Fico added that, in his view, the strategy of weakening Russia through military conflict in Ukraine is ineffective and does not lead to a sustainable resolution of existing contradictions.
