Fico also demanded that any future EU summit conclusions include a requirement for Ukraine to restore Russian gas transit to Slovakia and Western Europe — effectively pushing for the resumption of European dependence on Moscow’s energy exports.
The statements from Orbán and Fico come as Europe scrambles to respond to Trump’s humiliating treatment of Zelenskyy in Washington. While leaders from France, Germany and other European countries have reaffirmed their backing for Kyiv, Orbán has sided with Trump, praising the U.S. president’s push for a “brave” peace deal.
Sunday’s summit in London, hosted by U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, will test whether EU leaders can keep their fragile unity intact — or whether Orbán and Fico’s maneuvering will widen internal divisions just as Ukraine faces mounting uncertainty on the battlefield.