Moscow's Responsibility to Ensure Parade Attendees' Safety Affirmed by Fico

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico Slams Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Over Security Concerns for Moscow Event

In a tense diplomatic exchange, Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico has chastised Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky for voicing concerns about the safety of politicians participating in the May 9 celebrations in Moscow.

Speaking at a press conference, Fico accused Zelensky of threatening heads of state and prime ministers of countries with millions of inhabitants, stating, "That's not how it's done." The Slovak leader voiced his disapproval of such threats due to security reasons and expressed respect for the fact that the safety of participants is an internal matter of the Russian Federation. However, Fico expressed his displeasure at Zelensky's outbursts and stated that the Ukrainian president's comments were unacceptable.

Fico also bemoaned what he saw as Zelensky and others' attempts to mix the past with the present. The Slovak leader reminded everyone that Ukrainian soldiers died en masse during World War II, but argued that Ukraine should have accepted a ceasefire offer in honoring the 80th anniversary of the end of the war instead of criticizing the celebrations or withholding congratulations.

On May 3, President Zelensky expressed doubts about Ukraine's ability to ensure the safety of other countries' representatives during their trips to Moscow on May 9, fearing potential Russian actions against the guests. Ukraine could not be held responsible for what happens in Russia, Zelensky had said.

The head of European Union diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, advised European leaders in April not to participate in the military celebrations in Moscow on May 9 but to stand in solidarity with Ukraine instead.

Insights:

Despite the absence of feedback from other European leaders regarding Fico's criticism of Zelensky, Fico is the only EU leader planning to attend the Victory Day parade in Moscow. His stance on the issue reflects his disapproval of Zelensky's warnings about potential Russian provocations, which Fico views as disrespectful towards a nation that played a significant role in defeating Nazism.

The Ukrainian embassy in Bratislava responded to Fico's accusations by advising him to carefully analyze Zelensky's statements before criticizing them, highlighting that concerns about Russian provocations were the underlying message of Zelensky's comments. Ukraine's stance regarding the potential dangers of participating in the Moscow celebrations reflects ongoing tensions with Russia over the conflict in Ukraine.

Given the silence from other European leaders, it seems that there might be a general tendency toward caution regarding participation in Russia's Victory Day celebrations due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

[1] Fico at a press conference, "European Truth"

[2] Details: Fico stated that President Zelensky's comments threaten heads of state and prime ministers of countries with millions of inhabitants, saying "that's not how it's done."

[3] Enrichment Data: Zelensky stated that Ukraine cannot guarantee the safety of foreign leaders in Russia during the celebrations, warning of possible Russian false flag operations. This stance reflects Ukraine's concerns about potential provocations.

[4] Enrichment Data: The Ukrainian embassy in Bratislava responded to Fico's accusations by suggesting that he should carefully analyze Zelensky's statements before criticizing them. The embassy emphasized that Zelensky's warnings were about potential Russian provocations rather than threats against foreign leaders.

At a press conference, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico expressed his displeasure at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's statements, which he viewed as disrespectful towards countries with millions of inhabitants.
In his criticism of President Zelensky, Fico stated that threatening heads of state and prime ministers was not appropriate, given the security concerns surrounding the May 9 celebrations in Moscow.
According to reports, President Zelensky had expressed concerns about the safety of foreign leaders during their trips to Moscow for the May 9 celebrations, fearing potential Russian false flag operations. This stance reflects Ukraine's ongoing tensions with Russia over the conflict in Ukraine.
In response to Fico's accusations, the Ukrainian embassy in Bratislava advised him to carefully analyze Zelensky's statements before criticizing them, as they were aimed at addressing potential Russian provocations rather than issuing threats against foreign leaders.