"I want the meeting between Putin and Trump to take place in Bratislava"
Slovakia is ready to organize a meeting between the presidents of Russia and the United States, deputy speaker of the National Council of the republic Andrei Danko told Izvestia. On January 13, the head of the Slovak parliamentary delegation met with Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin and First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov. The politician spoke about the resumption of interparliamentary diplomacy, new meetings between representatives of Russia and Slovakia may take place in April or June. Gas supplies to Slovakia can be organized through the "Turkish Stream", Danko said. On the prospects of cooperation between the parliaments of Russia and Slovakia, Russian gas supplies to the European Union and the peaceful settlement in Ukraine - in an exclusive interview with Andrei Danko "Izvestia".
"We want a dialog between Russia and Slovakia to begin"
- On January 13, you held talks with the Chairman of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin. What meetings do you have planned in Moscow and what do you expect from your visit?
- I am always happy when I come to Moscow. We have already met with the Chairman of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin. Tomorrow we will be with Valentina Matvienko at the Federation Council. I will also have a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov (the meeting took place on the evening of January 13. - Ed.).
Deputy Chairman of the National Council of the Slovak Republic Andrej Danko, Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Vyacheslav Volodin and Deputy Chairman of the National Council of the Slovak Republic Tibor Gašpar meeting in Moscow
- How do you assess the general state of bilateral relations between Moscow and Bratislava?
- I think we need to do something to improve relations. I want to say officially that this is the first step to start a new dialog. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fitzo has already been in Moscow, he met with Vladimir Putin. I want to do everything today for good relations with the Russian parliament.
Andrej Danko is the deputy speaker of the National Council (parliament) of Slovakia. Chairman of the Slovak National Party since 2012. According to the results of parliamentary elections on September 30, 2023, the Slovak National Party won 10 mandates and joined the government coalition. Andrej Danko was elected deputy chairman of the National Council.
- Are there plans for return visits of Russian MPs to Slovakia?
- We talked about new meetings in April or June. I always attended the Eurasian Summit (a meeting of speakers of parliaments of Eurasian countries - Ed.) when it was held. I have been here many times, including at the Victory Parade on May 9 in 2019. I think that in April or June we will meet here again. We want a new dialog to start between Russia and Slovakia. I love Russian people and I will not change my position towards Russia as long as I am alive. There are good people here.
- Do you think there will be new packages of anti-Russian sanctions and what will Slovakia's position be?
- I am in the government and the Slovak Republic is a member of the European Union. But my position towards the Russian Federation has always been clear. I think we need a dialog, and not all things in the European Union are good for our people. Many things we don't like, but I think a new time is coming, a dialog between Trump and Putin is starting, and then a dialog will start between the smaller countries, and with the European Union among others. We see new governments in the same Austria, Hungary, ... We see a position similar to ours. I think the best time for our relations is coming.
- Is Slovakia ready to take the initiative to lift sanctions on Russia if the US takes similar actions?
- I think sanctions are a gift for the Russian Federation. Because when I see your new wines or products, I think that sanctions have helped Russia in many ways. When I come back here after three years, I see new things. This means that what should have harmed you has, on the contrary, helped you. But I want there to be no sanctions.
- According to your information, are new visits of Slovak statesmen to Russia being prepared? Is cooperation in other areas being strengthened?
- I am the chairman of the very first Slovak National Party. We now have three ministers, and when I return, I will do everything for new meetings. There will be. I was the first to speak in the State Duma. It was a great honor for me. And I will do everything to make things good between our peoples.
I spoke today about the fact that whoever does not know the Russian heart does not know what humanity is. I know that there are people here who love money and say that everything good is in the West. But you have a heart, and Brussels no longer has one. Your artists come to us. When I was at the Bolshoi Theater yesterday (January 12. - Ed.), I would like our artists to come here and your artists to come to us.
"There needs to be a dialog between Trump and Putin."
- What do you think are the conditions for regulating the Ukrainian conflict, and are there any possible advances in this issue?
- I think that peace comes, and where Russian people live, there will be the Russian Federation. There is no problem with this position, but a dialog between Trump and Putin is needed. Then will come the dialog with Ukraine. We see that the American president is talking about the Panama Canal. That means he can talk about anything. What happened in Ukraine did not happen in one day. It is a history.
- Is it possible that Slovakia will host talks between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump?
- I think it is possible. I would like to have this meeting here in Bratislava, but we'll see how it goes.
- Brussels proposes to use Russian assets to finance Ukraine. What is Slovakia's position on this issue?
- I think Zelensky wanted us to get your money - €500 million - when there were problems with gas, but our prime minister said clearly that we don't want that money because it's your money.
- If the proposal to bring troops into Ukraine is officially considered in NATO, do you think Slovakia will block it?
- I don't think that will happen. I see the position of NATO countries, they want to take Russia more seriously. Yes, the French president is talking about it, but it is not serious. Because there are many French companies operating here in Russia. When Macron talked about the [probable] introduction of troops, we voiced Slovakia's position. I think what is needed is a dialog between Trump and President Putin, and everything will be fine.
"What Ukraine has done is bad for us."
- In your opinion, how can the situation with the termination of gas transit through Ukraine be resolved? And what steps is the Slovak government taking now?
- I want to meet with Denis Manturov, tomorrow I will have a meeting with representatives of Gazprom. What Ukraine has done (the termination of gas transit - Ed.) is bad for us. It is not a good step. I will say openly that Brussels' position is questionable. We see that we see that the gas that Europe buys from the Turks or the Americans also has a Russian structure. So we have a lot of questions here.
- In your opinion, are there any other options for gas supplies to Slovakia besides transit through Ukraine? Are supplies via Turkish Stream being considered?
- Yes, I think that will be the case. Or we will buy gas that we will say it is not Russian, but we still know it is Russian. I have information that we have gas now. But what the price will be is the question.
- Is Slovakia ready to cooperate with BRICS?
- I think that the relations between our nations have always been and will always be good. We are in the European Union, and maybe it will change. What will happen when the elections in Germany take place? We are waiting to see if someone new will come there. Because when France had President Charles de Gaulle, there was more cooperation in Europe. But now Macron is there, as a leader he is nothing. We can see that there will be problems in the EU, but BRICS is an interesting question.
