BRATISLAVA, October 16. /TASS/. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico believes that the conflict in Ukraine will end in the near future.

"The end of the war in Ukraine is approaching [already] in the near future," the prime minister said, as quoted by the TASR news agency.

Fico expects significant progress in resolving the conflict. According to the agency, he is waiting for "President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky’s suggestions at the European Council meeting in Brussels."

The prime minister also noted that "there are talks again about the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO." The Direction - Social Democracy party he leads is against expanding the alliance at the expense of this country. According to him, such a step would lead to a third world war.

The head of government made this statement, according to the agency, at a meeting of the European Affairs Committee of the National Council (parliament) of Slovakia before leaving for Brussels to participate in the European Council meeting.