Pellegrini Meets with Costa in Munich to Also Discuss EU's Role in Ukraine

        Munich, February 14 (TASR-correspondent) - On the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, President Peter Pellegrini met on Friday with European Council President Antonio Costa to also discuss energy and the EU's possible role in negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.
        "It's showing that the world political and economic order we've been used to is disintegrating," said Pellegrini, adding that Slovakia, which as a small country is dependent on certain rules, has drawn heavily from this international order and multilateral organisations. According to him, that's why it's necessary to think about how it will function in the future.
        In the context of current events, he thinks that politics seems to be moving towards the demands of the big powers, which are starting to stick to the "take or leave" slogan, which isn't very favourable for Slovakia. There should therefore be a debate in Europe about how it will react as a continent to these events.
        Referring to the war in Ukraine, the Slovak head of state asked Costa how the EU wants to be part of the negotiations on the future of the neighbouring country. "It's important for Slovakia to care about the post-war arrangement in the east," stressed Pellegrini. As for the end of the conflict, he thinks it will be impossible to talk about a just peace, especially if Ukraine loses part of its territory.
        "If a solution is found, we need to be sure that it isn't just for a few years, after which military activities will continue, but that it is a lasting peace," said the president, adding that the European Union should at some point enter the negotiations on Ukraine's future, because ultimately any agreements are likely to affect it.
        Energy was a serious topic of the conversation with Costa. Pellegrini pointed out that Slovakia has sufficient natural gas reserves for this winter, but the situation may become more complicated if it doesn't find alternative sources.
        Pellegrini stated that he asked Costa to take all possible steps towards Ukraine and to persuade its President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to find a way to resume transit of any gas through its territory further to Europe. Otherwise, he warned, not only Slovakia but the whole continent will have problems during the autumn and winter.