Slovak parliament deputy speaker claims Russia invaded Ukraine to “protect its interests”

Andrej Danko, Deputy Chairman of the National Council of Slovakia and leader of the far-right Slovak National Party, which is part of the government coalition, has claimed that Russia is "not an aggressor" in the full-scale war against Ukraine, but is "protecting its interests". Source: Danko in an interview with Slovak broadcaster RTVS, as reported by European Pravda Details: Asked who is the aggressor in Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Slovak National Party leader claimed that "life is not black and white" and that "everyone contributed to this, even Ukrainians who failed to find common ground with the Russian national minority".

Quote from Danko: "The Russians have stepped onto this territory with the goal of helping their nation."

More details: When the host reminded Danko of Russia's violations of international law, he replied that Israel also "violates international law" and rhetorically wondered how many times the United States has supposedly done the same thing. "Taking Ukraine's side is not a solution to the problem, as it only escalates tensions... Russia is not an aggressor, it is protecting its interests," the Slovak politician believes.

Background: It is not the first time that the Slovak authorities have made controversial remarks about Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. On the second anniversary of Russia's military invasion of Ukraine in February, Slovak Prime Minister Fico said that the war began in 2014 because "Ukrainian neo-Nazis" were "rampant". He argued that the West's strategy for the war was not working, that Slavs were dying in it, and that the West was watching with no peace plan from the European Union.

Vera Jourova, Vice-President of the European Commission, believes that Slovak Prime Minister Fico is helping the Kremlin with his remarks.

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