Slovakia Offers Hosting for Ukraine Peace Talks

Slovakia has offered to host peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, a proposal welcomed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who expressed openness to negotiations if conditions allow. Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar confirmed the country's readiness to facilitate discussions, emphasizing the need for all parties, including Russia, to participate. This development follows the recent meeting between Putin and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who has been criticized for his pro-Russian stance amid the ongoing conflict. Meanwhile, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has reiterated that Ukraine must abandon its NATO ambitions for peace talks to proceed. As international pressure mounts for negotiations to resolve the conflict, the feasibility of such talks remains uncertain given the differing positions of the conflicting parties. Additionally, Ukraine continues its military efforts, having recently targeted a Russian missile fuel production facility.