Slovakia’s Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar has suggested that the international community may need to "perhaps" forgive Russia’s actions and resume dialogue with Moscow as a means to end the war in Ukraine.

His remarks came after Slovakia requested that the adoption of the 18th package of EU sanctions against Russia be postponed until a decision is made on the consequences for the member states from RePowerEU, the European Commission's initiative to end dependence on Russian fossil fuels by 2030 in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Blanar, speaking to domestic media, said the ongoing war cannot be resolved on the battlefield and stressed the importance of diplomacy and international law. "Let us return to respect for international law and seek ways to communicate with the Russian Federation," he said on June 29. "And perhaps even forgive everything that has happened."

The comments mark another example of how Slovakia’s current leadership is diverging from the broader pro-Ukraine stance of the EU and NATO.

Under Prime Minister Robert Fico, Bratislava has adopted a more conciliatory tone toward Moscow, including continuing diplomatic engagement while most Western nations cut ties following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

Earlier this year, Fico attended Russia’s Victory Day Parade in Moscow, where he met with President Vladimir Putin. However, he dismissed the idea of engaging with President Volodymyr Zelensky.

"I see no reason to meet with the Ukrainian president," Fico said in a recent interview with Slovak broadcaster STVR. "My meeting with President Zelensky has no significance because he hates me," he added.  Zelensky has not yet responded to Fico's claims.

While Fico halted Slovak military support for Ukraine upon taking office in 2023, he has paradoxically voiced support for Ukraine’s European Union membership. "Ukraine's EU membership brings more advantages than disadvantages for Slovakia," the prime minister said.

Ukrainian drone strike on Crimea air base destroys 3 Russian helicopters, SBU claims

The attack destroyed Mi-8, Mi-26 and Mi-28 attack helicopters, and a Pantsyr-S1 self-propelled anti-aircraft missile and gun system, the Security Service of Ukraine told the Kyiv Independent.

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Denisova

The Director of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), Sergey Naryshkin, told Russian state media on June 29 that he had agreed to remain in open contact with Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Ratcliffe, following a recent phone call between the two.

"I had a phone call with my American counterpart, and we reserved for each other the possibility to call each other at any time and discuss issues of interest to us," Naryshkin said. He did not specify when the conversation took place, and Ratcliffe has not publicly confirmed the call.

Russian state media claimed the last known exchange between the two intelligence chiefs occurred in March.

The remarks come amid broader efforts by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump to normalize relations between Washington and Moscow. During a phone call on Feb. 12, Presidents Trump and Vladimir Putin agreed to reset U.S.-Russia ties and revive dialogue on "topics of mutual interest," including a potential resolution to the war in Ukraine.

That call was followed by the first round of bilateral talks, held on Feb. 18 in Saudi Arabia—the first official meeting between U.S. and Russian officials in over three years. Both sides pledged to begin restoring diplomatic relations and to appoint senior teams tasked with negotiating a Ukraine peace agreement.

Despite these efforts, progress on peace has been limited.

Two earlier rounds of talks between Moscow and Kyiv in Istanbul failed to produce a ceasefire. On June 5, Trump declined to say when or if further sanctions on Russia might be imposed, stating only that there is a deadline “in (his) brain.”

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio later told Politico that Trump would resist European pressure to toughen sanctions, arguing that doing so could jeopardize the fragile window for negotiations with the Kremlin.

‘Putin cannot stop’ – Estonian foreign minister says war in Ukraine existential for Russian president

As Russia continues to intensify its onslaught on Ukraine more than three years into the full-scale invasion, Kyiv faces a new challenge – keeping its Western allies, namely the new U.S. administration, engaged in the struggle. This became clear during the NATO summit in The Hague on June 24-25, where

The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek

Russia has lost around 1,018,940 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on June 29.

The number includes 1,220 casualties that Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 10,976 tanks, 22,915 armored fighting vehicles, 53,508 vehicles and fuel tanks, 29,689 artillery systems, 1,425 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,189 air defense systems, 420 airplanes, 337 helicopters, 42,624 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

Ukrainian drone strike on Crimea air base destroys 3 Russian helicopters, SBU claims

The attack destroyed Mi-8, Mi-26 and Mi-28 attack helicopters, and a Pantsyr-S1 self-propelled anti-aircraft missile and gun system, the Security Service of Ukraine told the Kyiv Independent.

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Denisova