Camilla Jessen
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has criticized remarks by his Slovak counterpart, Juraj Blanár, who suggested that Western countries may need to forgive Russia.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has strongly rejected recent remarks made by Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár, who suggested that the West may need to “forgive” Russia in order to reach a diplomatic solution to the war in Ukraine.
Slovak Minister Calls for Dialogue
Blanár made the comments during an interview with Slovak broadcaster STVR, in which he argued that the war “cannot be resolved militarily.”
He called for renewed dialogue with Russia and urged the West to “find a way to cooperate” with Moscow, even suggesting the possibility of “forgiving everything that has happened.”
According to Slovak news outlets Aktuality and Dennik, Blanár emphasized the need to return to international law and diplomacy to prevent further escalation.
“We do not want a war between Russia and NATO—that would mean a third world war,” he said. He also stated that conflicts should be prevented through diplomatic efforts.
Blanár stressed that while Slovakia is not in favor of the war, it must still invest in its own defense. “We cannot stand by and confront an adversary with empty warehouses,” he said.
Strong Rejection From Kyiv
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Sybiha responded with a public statement on X (formerly Twitter), sharply criticizing Blanár’s comments.
“Russia’s sense of impunity is the root cause of its crimes,” Sybiha wrote. “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.”
Sybiha added that those who have not experienced personal loss in the war should not make such statements, implying that Blanár’s comments downplayed the reality faced by Ukraine.
Previous Pro-Russian Remarks in Slovakia
Blanár’s comments follow earlier controversy in Slovakia. On March 6, Erik Kaliňák, Vice President of the ruling Smer-SD party and a Member of the European Parliament, said he would prefer “Russians in Kyiv” over Ukraine’s current leadership, calling the Russian government a more “reliable neighbor.”
His remarks drew criticism from opposition parties, who viewed them as undermining Slovakia’s position in the EU.
