Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovakia Miroslav Lajcak visited Ukraine on September 10-11, 2014. He brought with him 2.7 tons of humanitarian aid, including 270 first aid kits for border guards and the Ministry of Health. It builds on the assistance provided by Slovakia to Ukraine from March to September 2014, which amounted to about 100,000 euros and included medications (March), generators and lighting fixtures (June), sleeping bags and disinfectants (September). However, many in Ukraine drew attention to the fact that the Slovak government opposed the so-called strong sanctions against Russia, which aimed to force the Kremlin to withdraw its troops from eastern Ukraine and return Crimea. The question arises, will the recent sanctions adopted by the EU stop Vladimir Putin and prevent a further Russian aggression? We discussed this as well as reverse gas flows with Miroslav Lajcak.
“SANCTIONS ARE A SIGN THAT THE EU IS SERIOUS”
“Sanctions are a sign that the EU is serious. We really want a political solution to the situation, so we go ahead with new sanctions. I am glad that there is a ceasefire agreement. We want to see it continue and the hostilities never resume. I welcome the fact that, together with the adoption of sanctions, we adopted a political declaration which speaks of our willingness to revise and even cancel them. This will be possible if we see a serious process to restore peace and bring about the end of hostilities.
“I am proud that we were able to significantly help Ukraine via reverse gas supplies. We supply 20 percent of our gas to Ukraine, and our investments have allowed 40 percent of Ukraine’s imports to pass through Slovakia. We were able to do it in a way that did not violate any legal contracts, including with Gazprom. Nobody can accuse us of anything or reproach us. It was a difficult operation, but we are now helping Ukraine, and the Kremlin has said that our actions have not violated any agreements with the Russian Federation. I think it is a success.”
“I DO NOT SEE ANY THREAT TO SLOVAKIA’S GAS DELIVERIES TO UKRAINE”
Poland has launched a reverse gas flow to Ukraine as well. However, Russia threatens it with a cut in supplies in the event of it continuing with the reverse. Are there similar concerns aired in Slovakia? May you sue Gazprom in the case of it reducing gas deliveries to your country?
“In the case of Slovakia, our import supply has been reduced by 15 percent, but I do not want to overdramatize it. The reverse is governed by a commercial contract: we provide the infrastructure, and contracts must be kept. I do not see any threat to Slovakia’s gas deliveries to Ukraine. With regard to the Russian gas deliveries through Ukraine to Slovakia, we are trying to figure out what went wrong. But these two things should not be linked, since there is no direct relationship.”
The Visegrad Four announced in 2012 that it intended to establish a special battalion to strengthen the borders. Now, when Ukraine is in its current situation, when will this battalion be created and will it be able to help Ukraine with instructors?
“The Visegrad Four is readying a battlegroup, which will be operational by the first half of 2016. This is part of the EU’s joint foreign and defense policy project. We have a schedule for its formation and entered the realm of defense cooperation within the framework of the Visegrad Four, which shows the depth of our cooperation and trust. This is an EU project. In addition, the NATO summit in early September saw agreements on the strengthening of the eastern boundary of the alliance, and all its members will contribute to it. We have also presented our proposals, describing what place we see in it for Slovakia.
“There was a proposal a few months ago to consider the possibility of bringing Ukraine into this EU battlegroup project, not in the context of the current situation in Ukraine, but so that the Ukrainian army become better acquainted with the European standards, to Europeanize Ukrainian defense sector. However, these negotiations have been postponed due to the emergency situation in Ukraine. Assistance to Ukraine is an issue of relations between individual states and Ukraine.”
“SLOVAKIA IS FUNDAMENTALLY IN FAVOR OF NATO’S OPEN DOOR POLICY”
Slovak newspaper SME published recently a cartoon which shows three Central European ministers who run to meet Putin. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said lately that “I would consider it a big mistake for Ukraine, as well as our region and the whole world, to join NATO at the moment.” As you know, Russia is opposed to Ukraine joining NATO. Why Slovakia’s stance is such as it is?
“All Slovakian citizens know that SME is biased against Prime Minister Fico. As for Ukraine and NATO, Slovakia is fundamentally in favor of an open door policy. We made a strategic decision to join NATO and support those states that have adopted a similar decision.
“As far as I know, Ukraine has no such decision adopted and is still officially a non-aligned state. Speculations on its NATO membership are premature. Firstly, there is no legal basis. Secondly, I do not see the internal debate on it in Ukraine.
“I want to emphasize that it is a very important issue, which has to do with the strategic orientation of the state. We in Slovakia absolutely recognize and support the exclusive right of each state individually and independently make decisions about its future and its strategic orientation. We do not want to see the NATO issue used for domestic political confrontation purposes. My recommendation is to hold a debate on this issue, not trying to achieve short-term political goals, but aiming to get the authentic expression of the Ukrainian people’s will. This is too important a topic to use it for partisan confrontations.
“As soon as the legal framework is there and the people support it, we will be in a different situation. It would be very bad to see the NATO issue dividing the Ukrainian society. It would be a strategic mistake.”
“AGREEMENTS WITH THE EU HAVE NEVER HARMED ANYBODY”
Deputy Prime Minister, do you believe Russia’s statements that Ukraine’s ratification of the Association Agreement with the EU would harm the Russian economy?
“The truth is that such agreements with the EU have never harmed anybody. The EU has free trade agreements (FTA) with many countries and they all benefited from them. I see absolutely no reason to assume that this agreement could harm Russia or some other country.
“It would be nice if all international trade agreements were based on the same principles as the EU’s FTAs, in particular the WTO deals. It would open up the space for more trade. Slovakia is one of the five most open economies in the world. Openness and the fact that we are not setting up trade barriers have become our formula for success. The FTA between Ukraine and the EU is a treaty that removes barriers and provides trade access. It is part of a trend, as the EU is now engaged in such negotiations with the US. The US has a treaty with Mexico and Canada, called NAFTA. I have not heard yet Mexico and Canada expressing confusion over this agreement and saying that it would destroy their economies.”
You were recently tasked with Bosnia and Herzegovina issues by the EU. As someone who fought for the rights of people in the Balkans, what course of action would you advise Ukrainians to choose, how can we protect our citizens, whose rights are massively violated in the annexed Crimea?
“We need to be consistent in upholding the principles of international law that must be respected by all states, and not just small, weak or poor. We must respect the architecture of international relations as it was formed after World War II, and now it is under serious threat. I heard President Petro Poroshenko to respond to this very question today, on October 12. He said, and I agree: ‘people want to live well, and we must do everything to make life in Ukraine better.’ You need to have the rule of law, fight corruption, and provide people with opportunities to live decent lives. When it is achieved, people of Crimea will decide for themselves where they would be better off. We have to show a better alternative, but it is not done by force, with the military means. As the English say, you need to win the hearts and minds of people. This is a good recipe for you. Thus, you need to do so that the expectations which had brought people to Maidan become the basis of the program of the new government, to be formed after the parliamentary elections.”
