BRUSSELS, March 20. /TASS/. The European Union is powerless to stop the warring sides from continuing the Middle East conflict, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico told journalists following a recent European Council meeting.

"EU member states have no desire to be directly involved in the Middle East conflict, which is unfolding very differently from what the US administration expected," he said. "The EU is powerless to intervene. We are watching this and have no real chance to decisively step in and say ‘Enough,’" the prime minister added.

According to Fico, the bloc needs strong leaders and a pragmatic foreign policy. The main focus should be on the economy and economic growth of member states. The prime minister also noted that norms of international law are no longer being observed in the world, while the EU applies double standards to the situation in the Middle East and Ukraine.