BRATISLAVA, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- European Union (EU) leaders should have played a more active role in seeking a diplomatic solution to the conflict in Ukraine, Slovak Foreign and European Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar said in an interview with TASR TV.
Blanar said the United States is now playing a significantly greater role in the peace process, while Europe has provided substantial financial support to Ukraine.
"At present, we basically don't have a seat at the table. We are simply paying all the costs associated with it," Blanar said.
According to data released by the European External Action Service, since the start of the war, the EU and our member states have made available to Ukraine over 226 billion U.S. dollars in financial, military, humanitarian, and refugee assistance.
Blanar said Slovakia could find common ground with its partners in the Visegrad Four (V4), comprising the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, on the need for a more active EU role in the peace process, although the four countries have different views on how to achieve a ceasefire.
He noted that Slovakia, Hungary and the Czech Republic would not participate in guarantees for a 90 billion euro (104.5 billion U.S. dollars) loan to Ukraine, while Poland had decided to do so. "Despite having different views, we are still able to discuss these issues together," Blanar said.
Slovakia assumed the one-year V4 presidency on 1 July this year. According to Blanar, Slovakia is preparing for a meeting of the Slovak and Ukrainian governments, which is expected to take place in Lviv, Ukraine, but the date has not yet been decided.
