Fico canceled his visit to Ukraine at the last minute
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico canceled his planned visit to Ukraine at the last minute. He was supposed to attend the “Carpathian Initiative” summit, but on September 18, he did not arrive for the meeting of leaders in the Ivano-Frankivsk region. According to media reports, illness may have been the reason.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico did not travel to Ukraine for the “Carpathian Initiative” summit, although his visit had been scheduled. This was reported by Ukrainian and Slovak media, citing their own sources. Fico’s absence is also confirmed by reports from the summit, which began on September 18 in the Ivano-Frankivsk region. Slovakia will be represented at the meeting by an official of a lower rank than the head of government. Fico is being represented by Slovak Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eshtok.
The reason for the trip’s cancellation is reportedly linked to the Slovak prime minister’s health. This was reported by the Slovak news agency TASR, and the information was subsequently picked up by Ukrainian and international media. No details regarding Fico’s illness were provided. However, as recently as September 17, Fico confirmed that he planned to arrive in Ukraine on September 18. He was scheduled to participate in the summit and meet with other European leaders.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also spoke about Fico’s planned visit. The day before, he stated that he would arrive in Ukraine on September 18 and planned to meet with his Slovak counterpart. Among the topics of discussion were to be, in particular, sanctions against Russia.
What’s Happening at the Summit
The “Carpathian Initiative” summit is taking place September 18–20 in the Ivano-Frankivsk region. Ukraine is hosting it for the first time and is using the meeting to launch a new format, the “Carpathian Eight.” The new format is expected to include Ukraine, Poland, Slovakia, Romania, the Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, and Serbia. The European Union is participating separately in the format’s activities.
Among those who have already arrived in Ukraine for the meeting are Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, Romanian President Nicușor Dan, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. The summit is dedicated to regional cooperation, security, energy, logistics, and the development of cross-border trade. Earlier, Fico stated that he planned to visit Ukraine, but at the same time emphasized that he wanted to prevent Slovakia from being drawn into the war. Specifically, on September 17, he said that as prime minister, he would do everything to ensure the country was not drawn into a military conflict. Now, instead of Fico himself, another member of the government is representing Slovakia at the summit. The Slovak prime minister himself did not travel to Ukraine this time.
