Slovakia's Pro-Russian Election Winner Sparks Concerns in EU and Ukraine
Pressure is mounting on Europe's Socialists to expel Robert Fico, the leader of Slovakia's Smer party, who won the recent election on an anti-Ukraine platform. Fico's criticism of EU sanctions on Russia and his proposal to end military support for Ukraine have raised concerns in Brussels and Kyiv. European People's Party leader Manfred Weber compared Fico to Hungary's Viktor Orbán and called for clarification on the Socialists' stance. The Socialists have threatened to expel Fico in the past, and there are calls for sanctions or expulsion if his rhetoric turns into action in a new government.