Slovakia could host Russia-Ukraine peace talks, Putin says

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia is open to a Slovakian proposal to host peace talks with Ukraine to end a conflict he said Russia was determined to bring to a conclusion.

Putin, who this week hosted Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico in the Kremlin, said that Fico, an outspoken opponent of European Union support for Ukraine, had offered his country as to host talks between Russia and Ukraine.

Putin said the Slovakian authorities "…would be happy to provide their own country as a platform for negotiations. We are not opposed, if it comes to that. Why not? Since Slovakia takes such a neutral position.”

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Slovakia is seen as one of a growing camp of central and eastern European EU member states that are skeptical of support for Ukraine, and supportive of negotiations with Russia.

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