Blanar: Dialogue Needs to Be Maintained with Russia, But Law Breaking Condemned

Skopje, 29 October (TASR-correspondent) - There's a need to maintain a dialogue with Russia, but we must also condemn all its actions that have violated international law, stated Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) in North Macedonia on Thursday, a TASR special correspondent from Skopje has reported. "We say openly that it's necessary to maintain dialogue with the Russian Federation, while condemning everything that has happened on their part which has constituted a violation of international law and territorial integrity. We say this openly, but we must defend our national interests, and that's why the intergovernmental commission was also about communicating on these issues and discussing matters that aren't subject to sanctions," said Blanar when asked by TASR whether he'll brief the Ukrainians on his recent trip to Moscow during the upcoming meeting between the governments of Slovakia and Ukraine. Slovakia's chief diplomat pointed out that, following his visit to Moscow, the leaders of Norway and Finland have spoken on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to him, they are doing so because they realise that "things simply can't go on like this". "This ban on negotiating with Moscow has put us in a position in which, as the European Union, we're completely isolated. We aren't at the negotiating table at all, despite the fact that, in essence, it is the European Union and European countries that are bearing the greatest burden of this war," said Blanar. "On the other hand, we must point out that we also maintain a unique relationship with Ukraine. No other country in the European Union holds joint intergovernmental talks like the Slovak Republic does. On 5 November, we'll hold our fourth intergovernmental meeting in Lviv, where we'll discuss a number of projects via which we're helping Ukraine - whether this is in terms of humanitarian aid, mine clearance or various energy projects," he stated. According to Blanar, Slovakia didn't cause this war, but it wants to maintain good relations with both sides. am/df