Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga publicly expressed his disagreement with the statement made by Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár regarding the possibility of forgiving Russia for its actions during the war against Ukraine. Sibiga emphasized that the impunity of the aggressor leads to new crimes, and forgiveness without just punishment only encourages further aggression.
This is reported by Kyiv24
“Juraj, the feeling of impunity in Russia is the root cause of its crimes. It is naive to expect that a criminal will stop if their crime is forgiven rather than punished. Russia will strike you on the other cheek as well. And those who have not lost anyone in this war have no right to make such statements.”
Statement from the Slovak Minister and Ukraine’s Reaction
Juraj Blanár, the head of the Slovak Foreign Ministry, previously expressed on the STVR television channel that Western countries should seek dialogue with Russia to end the war, and also mentioned that “perhaps even forgiving everything that has happened.” These words provoked a sharp reaction from Ukrainian diplomats, who believe that such statements undermine the principles of justice and support for the victims of aggression.
Slovakia’s Position on Sanctions and Energy
Last week, Slovakia blocked the adoption of the 18th package of EU sanctions against the Russian Federation. Additionally, Bratislava disagrees with the European Union’s intention to abandon imports of Russian gas and oil, as the country is significantly dependent on energy resources from Russia. In this context, Slovakia urges Brussels to find a solution that will prevent an energy crisis in the country.