Kyiv Hits Back After Nato Member's Call For Russia To Be Forgiven 'For Everything'

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Ukraine has hit out at a senior minister in Slovakia’s government after he called for Russia to be forgiven “for everything”.Although Vladimir Putin started Russia’s war against Ukraine more than three years ago with a barbaric invasion, Slovak foreign minister Juraj Blanar told broadcasters over the weekend it was time for the west to focus on “diplomacy” with Moscow.Blanar suggested the war could not be resolved militarily, and suggested: “Let us return to respect for international law and seek ways to communicate with the Russian Federation.”The minister called for a return to “diplomatic means”, claiming the West has to find a means to co-operate with Russia.He added: “And perhaps even forgive everything that has happened.”His words are at odds with most of the messaging coming from Kyiv’s European allies – especially as Slovakia is a Nato member and shares Ukraine’s western border.Blanar’s Ukrainian counterpart called him out for his “naive” words on Monday.Andrii Sybiha wrote on X: “Juraj, Russia’s sense of impunity is the root cause of its crimes.“It’s naive to expect a criminal to stop if their crime is forgiven instead of punished.“Russia will hit your other cheek as well. And those who have lost no one in this war have no right to make such statements.”Blanar’s remarks overlook how efforts to resolve the war with diplomacy started in earnest earlier this year when Donald Trump returned to the White House.While Ukraine has repeatedly agreed to attend negotiations over a ceasefire, Russia keeps coming up with new conditions which then obstruct the truce talks.Putin currently occupies 18% of Ukraine’s territory and the rest of Europe fears he will move deeper into the continent with his offensive unless defeated on the battlefield.Although Slovakia is not that far from the conflict, its government does not appear to fear Putin’s advances like its northern neighbour Poland.In fact, Slovakia is one of the few countries in Europe which remains in contact with Moscow since the war began, and has been even been stalling new EU sanctions against Russia.The Slovak prime minister Robert Fico stopped sending military aid to Ukraine when he was elected in 2023, and attended Putin’s Victory Day parade in Moscow this year.Fico has also claimed that Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy “hates me” and that meeting him would have “no significance”. Related...Trump's Reason For Not Ending Ukraine War In 24 Hours Brutally MockedNATO Chief Says Alliance Still Strongly Backing Ukraine ― Even As Trump Backs AwayRussia Brushes Off Latest Dig From Trump Over Ukraine: 'We Are Quite Tolerant'

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