The key facts

  • In Lviv, Fico offered Ukraine assistance with the EU accession process
  • Slovakia supports Kyiv's European ambitions
  • In October, Fico declined to take part in a new European loan for Ukraine

Offer of assistance in Lviv

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said he was ready to help Ukraine with its process of joining the European Union. Speaking at a joint meeting of the governments of Slovakia and Ukraine in Lviv, he said that Bratislava respects Kyiv's desire to join the union and supports its European ambitions. This was reported by Gazeta.Ru citing the Slovak news agency TASR.

The essence of the offer

“We are offering you help in a friendly spirit — both on matters related to experience of working within the European Union and on the experience we gained during our own EU accession process,” the outlet quoted Fico as saying. He also stressed that every country wishing to join the European Union has the right to submit an application, meet the necessary conditions and join the union.

Context: position on the loan

The offer of help with integration comes alongside a more reserved position from Bratislava on financial support for Kyiv. As Gazeta.Ru notes, in October Fico said that Slovakia would not take part in a new European loan for Ukraine, explaining that Kyiv would not repay any loan and that it should be treated as a financial gift. At that time, according to the outlet, Europe refused to back the US proposal on Russian assets.