Fico: Ukraine in NATO Would Lead to Clash between Alliance and Russia

Bratislava, July 15 (TASR) - Ukraine's membership of NATO would lead to a clash between the Alliance and Russia, said Premier Robert Fico in a video on Facebook on Monday, adding that he welcomes that the conclusions of the recent NATO summit include wording confirming that Ukraine will join NATO only if all member states agree and all conditions are met.

"We [Slovakia] consistently adhered to one of the basic premises of a sovereign Slovak foreign policy, namely that Ukraine's membership of NATO would threaten world peace and lead to a direct confrontation between NATO and the Russian Federation," said Fico.

Slovakia was represented at the summit by President Peter Pellegrini, according to whom Slovakia's positions were translated into the final document. The president said that the issue of Ukraine's membership of NATO can be raised only when there is peace in Ukraine and there is no ongoing military conflict.