Fico: EU Should Support Trump-Putin Summit in Budapest

22. októbra 2025 12:26
Bratislava, 22 October (TASR) - The most reasonable course of action would be for the EU to support a summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest, Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) told the House committee for European affairs on Wednesday, adding that he plans to bring up this issue at the upcoming meeting of the European Council. "At the Council, I will raise the question as to whether it is right to go down the path of packages and harsh statements when we want a summit in Budapest to take place," said Fico. In his opinion, the EU doesn't even know whether it wants a summit. Fico claimed that leaders should not draw conclusions regarding Ukraine, but merely state that they support the summit. He added that, at the Council, he would speak in the spirit of absolute support for this summit, as the EU's goal cannot be to lock Putin up, but to get everyone around one table and negotiate. "Peace without ceding part of the territories currently in Ukraine is not possible. Or do you have a different idea? That is the reality," added Fico. On Wednesday evening, Fico is scheduled to meet German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to seek common ground on the issue of energy and car prices. According to the prime minister, a paragraph stating that the European Commission must "react swiftly and harshly to energy prices" was included in the draft conclusions of the meeting. He said that Slovakia will also want to see automotive industry among the conclusions, adding that it will be necessary to revise the ban on combustion engines as of 2035 in order to reach a compromise. If the conclusions from the meeting include the paragraph proposed by Slovakia, Fico said that he would "probably" tell Merz that Slovakia agrees with the 19th package of sanctions against Russia. Opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) chairman Michal Simecka responded that European leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, have supported the idea of a summit taking place in Budapest. However, Simecka fears that Putin doesn't want a ceasefire because he plans to continue the war, as he feels that he wouldn't face any consequences. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban stated on social media on Wednesday that preparations for a possible summit in Budapest are still ongoing despite the fact that the meeting has since been postponed indefinitely. jrg/df
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