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Bratislava/Palm Beach – The Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic Juraj Blanár described Saturday’s talks with the President of the USA Donald Trump and his American counterpart Marco Rubio in Palm Beach, Florida, which he attended together with the Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic Robert Fico, as very open and direct. The communication department of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic informed TASR about this. Blanár subsequently also commented on the tensions surrounding Greenland.
The topics we discussed together concerned our bilateral relations and diplomacy in foreign policy,” said Juraj Blanár, adding that diplomacy is needed in every situation.
“Slovak diplomacy, together with the Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic, refined and successfully finalized the agreement between the Slovak Republic and the USA on cooperation in the civil use of nuclear energy, which will lead to mutual cooperation in the construction of a nuclear unit in Jaslovské Bohunice,” said Blanár.
Regarding the threat of introducing import tariffs against some European countries by Donald Trump in the dispute over Greenland, Blanár stated: “Just as some EU member states individually continue to support the prolongation of the war conflict in Ukraine and do not seek a common peace position at the level of the Union, similarly to how some leaders want to send their troops to Ukraine, or countries that have unprecedentedly recognized the secession of Kosovo from Serbia, this is exactly how it will then turn out in the stance on Greenland and international law as such.”
According to him, Slovakia “consistently and on principle promotes the observance of international law, whose fundamental principle is respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of another state. Slovakia therefore, on the basis of applying the same rules and principles of international law, considers Greenland to be part of Denmark, Crimea to be part of Ukraine, and Kosovo to be part of Serbia.”
Blanár emphasized that he also rejects customs wars between states, whose leaders, instead of making strong statements, should in his view sit down at the negotiating table. “We prefer diplomacy and peace, not tension or conflicts,” he said. (18 January)
“Slovakia, on the basis of applying the same rules and principles of international law, considers Greenland to be part of Denmark.” Juraj Blanár