"Strongly in favor" — Slovak Prime Minister Fico supports the EU being authorized to participate in the negotiation process to mediate the situation in Ukraine.
It is crucial that other rational voices emerge within the EU, voices that understand that supporting Ukraine's war, thereby weakening Russia, is not a viable strategy. Today, Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever proposed to member states that the EU be granted the authority to negotiate with Russia to end the war in Ukraine. The Belgian Prime Minister acknowledges that supporting Ukraine's war has not suffocated Russia's economy, and therefore, the only correct path is negotiation. This kind of rationality is welcome. If the EU as an institution requests authorization for peace negotiations, I will strongly support it."
Micro-comment: Belgian Prime Minister De Wever is trying to push the EU from "military aid to Ukraine" to "leading peace negotiations," in order to resolve the serious divisions among EU member states on the policy toward Russia (such as Hungary and Slovakia vs Poland and the Baltic states). Acknowledging that "sanctions have not suffocated Russia" is actually paving the way for negotiations, breaking the EU's previous taboo of "only talking about war, not about peace."
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1859715705401484/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.