PRAGUE, June 29. /TASS/. Slovak President Peter Pellegrini has called for launching dialogue between Europe and Russia.
"We need to begin dialogue with Russia. Two or three leaders are needed [in Europe for that] <…>, for instance [Italian] Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni," he said in an interview with the TA-3 television channel.
He voiced support for Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico who insists that the European Commission provide guarantees of energy security for Slovakia if the European Union imposes a ban on energy supplies from Russia from January 1, 2018. According to Pellegrini, the prime minister advance quite relevant conditions under which Slovakia would support the 18th package of EU anti-Russian sanctions. A relevant agreement will ultimately be reached with the European Commission and Slovakia will vote for further restriction, he anticipated.
Touching on the topic of raising defense spending in NATO countries to 5% of GDP, the Slovak president noted that this mover is not linked to Russia but "stems from the necessity to maintain own capabilities." He noted that NATO countries have different histories of relations with Russia. "Half of them, probably, do not look upon Russia as a threat," he added.