Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on Saturday (20 January) alleged neighbouring Ukraine was not a sovereign nation but was under the absolute control of the United States, in embrace of a Russian conspiracy theory.

The populist politician, who is against military aid to the war-torn country and opposes sanctions against Russia, also reiterated his opposition to Ukraine’s bid to join NATO.

“Ukraine is not an independent and sovereign country,” Fico told public broadcaster RTVS. “Ukraine is under the total influence and control of the United States.”

Slovakia is a member of both NATO and the European Union.

Fico is due to meet his Ukrainian counterpart Denys Shmyhal on Wednesday in the city of Uzhhorod, western Ukraine, on the border with Slovakia.

“I will tell him that I am against the membership of Ukraine in NATO and that I will veto it,” Fico said.

    • @HerrBeter
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      111 months ago

      A guy on lemmy told me that it’s corruption in its core, sadly

      • @AnUnusualRelic
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        211 months ago

        It usually goes hand in hand with the populists. Sadly there’s so many of them popping up in European politics, it’s a plague.