The European Union should focus on diplomatic solutions to the war in Ukraine, not arms deliveries, the new Slovak MEP Katarína Roth Neveďalová (Smer-SD/S&D) who opposed the recent EU Parliament resolution on the preparation of an EU-Ukraine summit said in an interview for EURACTIV Slovakia.
Roth Neveďalová, who served as an MEP from 2009 to 2014, recently was appointed MEP again as she replaced Miroslav Číž who had passed away aged 68 in December.
“The European Union was built on the idea of peace and the befriending of countries that had previously been at constant war. It should offer a platform for debate instead of making overly radical statements,” Neveďalová said.
“It is evident member states are not entirely in favour of constantly arming one side of a conflict,” she added.
During her first EU Parliament vote on 3 February, Roth Neveďalová voted against the European Parliament resolution on preparing an EU-Ukraine summit, citing that “there were some things that I disagree with”.
“I am a person who is more concerned with the politics of peace than with the politics of war and weapons. I understand why we are sending arms to Ukraine, but I also think that we should be more supportive of a peaceful solution to the war and focus more on the people,” she explained.
Roth Neveďalová is a member of Smer-SD of former Prime Minister Robert Fico – a vocal opponent of arms deliveries to Ukraine and is on a Ukrainian list of EU politicians spreading Russian propaganda.
Roth Neveďalová, however, stressed that a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine should give all of the occupied territories back to Ukraine.
With snap elections set in October, Smer-SD leader Fico did not rule out forming a coalition with the far-right The Republic party.
When asked if she would cooperate with Republic chair and Independent MEP Milan Uhrík, she said, “I don’t see a reason why I should, but if Slovak national interest is at stake, all Slovak MEPs should come together”.
(Michal Hudec | EURACTIV.sk)
Source: euractiv.com
