Slovakia’s Pellegrini calls on Europe to intensify efforts to engage Russia

The West, together with Ukraine, should intensify efforts to engage in dialogue with Russia, Slovak President Peter Pellegrini said on STVR’s political programme Sobotne dialogy (Saturday Dialogues), stressing that dialogue and the pursuit of a diplomatic solution remain essential.

According to the president, the war Russia is waging against Ukraine can only be brought to an end through diplomatic means.

“I understand that the aim of strengthening Ukraine - and we discuss this at length at meetings of presidents from across Western Europe - is for Ukraine to sit down at the negotiating table as an equal partner to Russia. ... I also understand Ukraine's deep strikes into Russian territory, intended to demonstrate that it's capable of inflicting significant damage on Russian infrastructure as well,” Pellegrini said.

At the same time, he noted that the conflict is increasingly beginning to spill beyond Ukraine’s borders.

Against this backdrop, Pellegrini reiterated his view that both the state and companies involved in the production of military equipment and ammunition must take appropriate measures.

By Jeyhun Aghazada