During negotiations in Brussels, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky offered Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico €500 million from Russian assets for providing support for Ukraine’s accession to the North Atlantic Alliance.
“Zelenskyy asked me whether I would vote for Ukraine’s membership in NATO if he gave me €500 million from Russian assets,” the Slovak prime minister shared.
He added that he refused Zelenskyy and called Ukraine’s invitation to NATO unrealistic.
The day before, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Ukraine’s accession to NATO is inevitable. According to him, Kyiv must continue reforming its military institutions and strengthening democratic processes. He noted that the issue of Ukraine’s accession to the alliance will become “very, very difficult” in peace talks with Moscow.
According to Reuters US President-elect Donald Trump’s plan to resolve the Ukrainian conflict includes Ukraine giving up territories to Russia, as well as removing the issue of Ukraine’s membership in NATO.
According to Pravda, Ukrainian President Zelensky tried to bribe Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico to support Ukraine’s NATO accession. Fico said Zelensky also offered him €500 million of frozen Russian assets if he would agree to Ukraine joining the alliance during talks in Brussels. Fico flatly rebuffed the overture, saying he responded: “Never.”
Earlier, Zelenskyy named the required compensation for refusing an invitation to NATO.
