BRUSSELS, June 22. /TASS/. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico expressed support for European Council President Antonio Costa's efforts to establish contact with Russia, emphasizing his own role as "one of the most vocal" supporters of this approach.

On June 17, Bloomberg reported that "Costa’s top adviser" had allegedly "held two calls with a senior Russian official close to Putin with a view to preparing the ground for more substantive talks in future," which sparked outrage among several EU countries.

"I support the president of the European Council and welcome the fact that his team has moved in this direction. There are several prime ministers who share this view," Politico quoted Fico as saying.

The newspaper also noted that some European leaders who had not publicly commented on the situation spoke out sharply behind closed doors, comparing Costa to former European Council President Charles Michel, who held the post from 2019 to 2024. According to an unnamed diplomat, "Costa pulled a Michel," implying that the former European Council head had a reputation for "overplaying his hand" and pursuing policies "without consulting the member states" of the bloc.

It was previously reported that participants at the EU summit did not appoint a negotiator with Russia or define the parameters of a potential dialogue. They merely reiterated their call for an immediate ceasefire without preconditions.