Sept 9 (Askume) – Ukraine expressed dismay on Monday as Slovakia’s pro-Russian prime minister accused Kiev of taking action to rid its army of fascists.
Fico’s appeal reflects Russia ‘s arguments in its war with Ukraine , including the Kremlin’s contention that the aim of the 2022 invasion is the “Nazi liberation” of its smaller neighbour.
Key Quotes
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine:
“In Kyiv, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico made disapproving statements about Ukrainian forces that go against the existing level of trust and cooperation between Ukraine and Slovakia.”
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico:
“We all talk about fascism, Nazism, but we silently tolerate the fact that there are clearly named units operating in Ukraine that are linked to movements that we now consider dangerous and banned.”
Why is this important?
Russia often calls Ukrainian leaders Nazis. President Putin said the country needed to be liberated from the Nazis from the first day of the Nazi invasion in February 2022.
Fico’s insistence on towing the Kremlin’s line as NATO leader has further complicated matters as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky makes almost daily calls for NATO to provide long-range weapons and allow their use on Russian soil.
Ukraine has been trying to join the European Union and NATO since the war began, but Fico and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban have refused to agree on those efforts.
Circumstances:
Russia criticises the ultra-nationalist roots of Ukraine’s Azov Battalion, which was set up in 2014 to fight Russian-sponsored separatists.
The unit was later reorganized into an army and was honored throughout Ukraine for its resistance, especially during the nearly three-month siege of the port of Mariupol.
