Slovakia could host Russia-Ukraine peace talks, Putin says – National

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Russia is open to a Slovak proposal to hold peace talks with Ukraine to end a conflict that he said Russia was determined to bring to a conclusion.

Putin, who hosted Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico at the Kremlin this week, said Fico, an outspoken opponent of European Union support for Ukraine, had offered his country to host talks between Russia and Ukraine.

Putin said that the Slovak authorities “… would be happy to provide their own country as a platform for negotiations. We are not against it, if it goes like that. Why not? Since Slovakia takes such a neutral position.”

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Slovakia is seen as one of a growing camp of central and eastern European EU member states skeptical of support for Ukraine, and supportive of negotiations with Russia.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has repeatedly criticized Slovakia, which borders Ukraine, for Fico’s friendly tone towards Russia since returning to power after a 2023 election.

Putin has repeatedly said that Russia is open to talks to end the conflict with Kiev, but that it would still achieve its goals in Ukraine.

Putin said Thursday that Russia could use the new intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile, known as Oreshnik, again, but was in no rush to do so.

“We do not rule out the possibility of using it today and tomorrow, if necessary,” Putin said.

If necessary, Putin said, Russia could use more powerful medium-range weapons.