Slovakia

The populist government has blamed the 2024 attack on ‘hatred’ spread by opposition and critical media.

A Slovak court has convicted the pensioner who shot Prime Minister Robert Fico last year of a “terror attack” and sentenced him to 21 years in prison.

The Specialised Criminal Court in Banska Bystrica convicted and sentenced 72-year-old Juraj Cintula on Tuesday, saying he had acted “with a motivation to stop a proper functioning of the government” in a “particularly serious” crime.

Cintula, a poet from Levice in western Slovakia, shot Fico four times at close range on May 15, 2024 as the premier left a government meeting in central Slovakia.

He later claimed he was driven by “moral despair”. Fico was left seriously wounded but returned to work two months later.

The shooting and subsequent trial have shaken the small NATO-member country.

Now serving his fourth term as prime minister, Fico has repeatedly accused the liberal opposition and media of fuelling the assassination attempt, without presenting evidence.

Prosecutors originally charged Cintula with premeditated murder, but they later reclassified the shooting as a “terror attack”, citing his political motivation.

Critics have said that since the shooting, the populist Fico has become increasingly divisive, accelerating his alignment of Slovakia’s foreign policy with Russia, increasing criticism of the European Union, and implementing authoritarian and hardline conservative policy.

‘Most likely appeal’

“It was worth it,” local media quoted Cintula as shouting as he left court earlier this month after giving his closing trial statement.

After the shooting, Cintula had told police he wanted to protest against steps taken by Fico’s government, including the halting of military aid to war-ravaged Ukraine, according to a leaked video.

He claimed he had sought to hurt, but not kill, the prime minister.

In his final trial statement, a visibly emotional Cintula told the court he had been overcome with “moral despair”, accusing the prime minister of being “drunk with power” and making “irrational decisions that damage this country”.

He called his defence “a manifesto … for all those who feel that the arrogance of power, corruption and lies has no place in the country where our children will grow up”.

“The premier … embodied years of accumulated frustration and despair,” Cintula said.

Cintula’s lawyer, Namir Alyasry, told reporters after the hearing that he would “most likely appeal” the verdict.

The prime minister was not present at the trial and did not immediately comment on the verdict.

He previously said he forgave the attacker, whom he described as merely a “messenger of evil and political hatred” developed by the “politically unsuccessful and frustrated opposition”.

Since his return to office in 2023, Fico’s government has launched a crackdown on nonprofit organisations, cultural institutions and some media outlets it deems “hostile”, prompting mass protests.

Fico has also angered the opposition by calling for an end to Slovakia’s support for Ukraine, criticising EU sanctions targeting Russia and saying he would not allow Ukraine to join NATO.

Last month, the Slovak parliament approved a constitutional amendment to limit the rights of same-sex couples as part of a sweeping change that also states that national law takes precedence over EU law.

A draft regulation approved by European Union energy ministers would phase out Russian import contracts by January 2028.

European Union states have agreed to halt Russian oil and gas imports by 2028, severing an energy link they fear helps fuel Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

Almost all EU energy ministers voted in favour of the draft regulation, which applies to both pipeline oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG), during a meeting in Luxembourg on Monday.

It would require EU members to phase out new Russian gas import contracts from January 2026, existing short-term contracts from June 2026 and long-term contracts in January 2028.

The proposal must now be approved by the European Parliament, where it is expected to pass.

The plan is part of a broader EU strategy to curb Russian energy dependence amid the war in Ukraine – and follows persistent calls by United States President Donald Trump for European states to stop “funding the war against themselves”.

‘Not there yet’

Lars Aagaard, Denmark’s energy minister, called the proposal a “crucial” step to make Europe energy independent.

“Although we have worked hard and pushed to get Russian gas and oil out of Europe in recent years, we are not there yet,” Aagaard said. His country currently holds the EU’s rotating presidency.

The EU has already brought down Russian oil imports to just 3 percent of its overall share, but Russian gas still makes up 13 percent of gas imports, accounting for more than 15 billion euros ($17.5bn) annually, according to the European Council.

Nevertheless, these purchases make up a relatively small portion of Russia’s overall fossil fuel exports, which mostly go to China, India and Turkiye, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.

The EU countries importing the most Russian energy are Hungary and Slovakia, followed by France, the Netherlands and Belgium.

Hungary and Slovakia – which are diplomatically closer to Moscow – both opposed the latest EU initiative, but it only needed a weighted majority of 15 states to pass, meaning they could not block it.

“The real impact of this regulation is that our safe supply of energy in Hungary is going to be killed,” Budapest’s top diplomat, Peter Szijjarto, was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.

The text approved on Monday allowed specific flexibilities for landlocked member states, which include Hungary and Slovakia.

In addition to the trade restrictions, the EU is negotiating a new package of sanctions against Russia that would ban LNG imports one year earlier, from January 2027.

The EU’s high representative for foreign affairs, Kaja Kallas, said earlier on Monday the new sanctions package could be approved as early as this week.

Oct. 13 (UPI) — Scores of injuries were reported Monday after a train collision in Slovakia in central Europe.

Between 60 to 80 passengers were injured when a train en route from Kosice to Bratislava collide with a stationary freight train during morning rush hour on one of Slovakia’s primary transpiration corridors.

“A thorough investigation must clarify the causes of this tragedy,” Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico said as he called for a full investigation.

It occurred at about 8 a.m. local time just outside the nation’s capital in Ljubljana.

Around 10 people sustained serious injuries, according to officials. Rescue crews and paramedics were on site within minutes.

Officials added injuries were primarily a result of force impact related to the subsequent derailment, but others were sedated due to shock.

Reports suggested the passenger train, traveling at a moderate speed, failed to receive a warning signal prior to the crash.

Afterward, one of the trains was seen suspended over a ravine as rescuers worked the scene.

The incident points a spotlight on Slovakia’s rail safety standards.

On Monday, Slovakian Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok said a preliminary look indicated that a breach of protocol resulted in the disaster.

Nine people died in 2009 when a train and tourist bus collided in central Slovakia.

According to Estok, one of the trains did not give way to the other and further pointed to human error.

O’Neill admired the performance of his young side, who have made a superb start to qualifying.

A win in Luxembourg was followed by an hour of matching European heavyweights Germany, who eventually prevailed to win 3-1.

Friday’s win was superb from first minute to last. A Patrik Hrosovsky own goal broke the deadlock before Hume’s superb effort with just under 10 minutes left made sure – but was it the best under O’Neill?

“I don’t really look at games like that because teams evolve,” O’Neill said when asked if it was the most complete performance since his return in 2023 for a second spell in charge.

The Germany fixture will be his 100th game as Northern Ireland boss.

“The team when I came back in is very different to the team now,” O’Neill said. “They have given other good performances, like at home here to Bulgaria [a 5-0 win in October 2024] when we were excellent.

“I think tonight was a team of a higher calibre as well, so you can say it is one of the best performances we’ve had, but I still think there is more in the tank, and I think the players believe that as well.”

O’Neill was also full of praise for Hume, who has moved up the leagues with Sunderland and is now a Premier League regular.

The defender’s goal had come after the in-form David Strelec poked an effort wide for Slovakia. In the past, when there felt like an inevitability that the opposition would hit back, Hume’s effort changed that narrative.

“We deserved to be more than one goal ahead with how the game had gone, but we needed that second goal,” said O’Neill.

“Slovakia are a good team and are very experienced at international level, and it only takes a moment.

“They did have that chance and they missed it. As a young team you can lose confidence and momentum in that situation, but when the second goal went in – and it was a great finish – it was great for him as he’s such an important player for us.”

When the qualifying draw was made in December, there was an understandable assumption that Germany would top the group and seal automatic qualification with Northern Ireland, Slovakia and Luxembourg fighting among themselves for the play-off spot afforded to the runner-up.

Slovakia’s victory over the four-time World Cup winners to kick things off last month has instead opened up myriad possibilities.

Friday night’s visitors to Windsor Park, who followed up their shock result against the Germans with late victory in Luxembourg, know that another three points in Belfast would be a huge step towards booking their place at next summer’s World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

While the side ranked 42nd in the world did not make the tournament in 2022, they reached the European Championships either side and were beaten by England at the last-16 stage in 2024 only after Jude Bellingham’s spectacular 96th-minute overhead kick.

Manager Francesco Calzona is the first foreign boss in the country’s history and came recommended by Slovakian legend Marek Hamsik from their time together at Napoli, where the Italian was an assistant coach.

Ties to the Serie A champions do not stop there with midfielder Stanislav Lobotka the side’s key player. The 30-year-old, however, has emerged as a major injury doubt for the game on Friday.

Another with recent Champions League experience, Atletico Madrid full back David Hancko, is another who could miss out.

While O’Neill said he would not believe their absences until the pair were missing when the anthems are played at Windsor Park, should Slovakia be without both then Middlesbrough striker David Strelec will be expected to carry a greater load.

The performances of 19-year-old Feyenoord winger Leo Sauer for the national side have sparked excitement too.

Ultimately, despite the backing of a new contract that was to run until Euro 2024, Baraclough would lose his job after a record of six wins and eight draws from 28 games and was replaced by the same man he had succeeded in the role, Michael O’Neill.

“There were times we were going over and applauding the fans and you could see that they were frustrated because we weren’t getting the results, but I knew deep inside that this was a project that was going to last much longer than the period of a campaign,” Baraclough says.

“I’d signed a new contract that would take me up to the last Euros campaign, but things happen, Michael becomes available from Stoke, for instance, and decisions will be made that are out of your hands.

“At the time, I found it very, very disappointing that I didn’t get a World Cup and a Euros because that was what, ultimately, you were going to be judged on and I ended up being judged on a Nations League campaign where we were absolutely flooding the squad with these young players. That was the disappointment for me, but, look, there’s no bitterness.”

As such, Baraclough has enjoyed watching from afar as a number of his former players become seasoned internationals.

“Maybe the fans thought that the previous campaign should have yielded more than what it did, but there was no way it was going to just materialise that you go away to the likes of Greece and turn them over,” he adds.

“This World Cup campaign was somewhere where we looked into the distance and thought realistically this is the best time for this group to really start making an impact because players will now have 100, 150 first-team games under their belts, they’ll have 20 to 25 senior caps or beyond under their belts, and now they’re just starting to feel comfortable at this level.

“It’s now come to fruition. To see those players come through and be doing so well at a senior level, it’s fantastic.

“It’s not one person per se that can lay claim to somebody’s success but, just for me, I love looking back and saying I really enjoyed my time working with them and hopefully I helped in some way in developing them as people and as players.”

With most votes tallied, Babis’s ANO party is ahead, but it appears set to fall short of a majority in parliament.

Billionaire Andrej Babis’s populist ANO party has taken a commanding lead in the Czech Republic’s parliamentary election, but is on track to fall short of a majority.

With ballots from more than 97 percent of polling stations counted on Saturday, ANO had 35 percent of the vote, according to the Czech Statistical Office. Prime Minister Petr Fiala’s centre-right Spolu (Together) alliance trailed with 23 percent.

Shortly after the preliminary results were announced, Fiala conceded defeat and offered congratulations to Babis.

Turnout reached 68 percent, the highest since 1998, with more than 4,400 candidates and 26 parties competing for seats in the 200-member lower house.

President Petr Pavel, who holds the power to appoint the next prime minister, is expected to open coalition talks with party leaders on Sunday once results are finalised. Officials have warned that the rollout of mail-in voting could slow the official confirmation.

Despite the strong showing, the failure to secure a majority means Babis cannot rule alone. Early signs suggest ANO may seek backing from the Motorists, a party opposing European Union green policies, and the far-right Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD), which has campaigned against both NATO and the EU.

SPD deputy leader Radim Fiala told Czech television the party was ready to help topple the government. “We went into the election with the aim of ending the government of Petr Fiala and support even for a minority cabinet of ANO is important for us and it would meet the target we had for this election,” he said.

The partial results showed fringe pro-Russian parties underperforming. SPD managed 8 percent, while the far-left Stacilo! movement, centred on the Communist Party, failed to clear the 5 percent threshold to enter parliament.

Babis, who led a centre-left government from 2017 to 2021, has shifted sharply to the right in recent years. Once supportive of adopting the euro, he now brands himself a eurosceptic and admirer of US President Donald Trump, even handing out “Strong Czechia” baseball caps styled after Trump’s MAGA slogan.

He has also forged close ties with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and aligned with far-right forces in the European Parliament.

While resisting SPD’s call for a referendum on leaving the EU and NATO, Babis has promised to end Prague’s arms procurement initiative for Ukraine, insisting military aid should be managed directly by NATO and the EU.

Slovak lawmakers have passed a constitutional amendment that further restricts LGBTQIA+ rights.⁠

⁠On 26 September, the amendment, proposed by Prime Minister Robert Fico’s populist-nationalist government, moved forward after it narrowly secured a three-fifths majority vote (90) in the 150-seat National Council.

The recent development comes nearly five months after the lawmakers proposed the changes to parliament. 

Under the amended constitution, same sex couples have been effectively banned from adopting children, with only married heterosexual couples permitted to adopt.

It asserts that only two genders – male and female – will be recognised, excluding trans, intersex and non-binary identities.

Lastly, the draconian amendment bans surrogacy and gives national law precedence over European Union (EU) law, declaring that “the Slovak Republic maintains sovereignty above all in issues of national identity, culture and ethics.”

According to the BBC, Fico embraced the vote, exclaiming that he would have a shot of liquor to celebrate.

“This isn’t a little dam, or just a regular dam – this is a great dam against progressivism,” the conservative PM added.

Since the news was announced, a range of human rights groups have slammed the Slovak parliament for passing the archaic amendment, including Amnesty International Slovakia.

“This is devastating news. Instead of taking concrete steps to protect the rights of LGBTI people, children, and women, the Slovakian parliament voted to pass these amendments, which put the constitution in direct contradiction with international law,” the group said in a statement.

“Today is another dark day for Slovakia, which is already facing a series of cascading attacks on human rights and the rule of law. The situation of marginalised groups in Slovakia – including LGBTI people – is already dire. These amendments rub salt into the wound.

“Today, the Slovak government chose to follow the lead of countries, such as Hungary, whose policies have led to an erosion of human rights. The only way to stop this decline is to comply with international and European law and introduce proposals to protect human rights for all, while rejecting those that jeopardise these efforts.” 

The editor-in-chief of the Slovak daily SME, Beata Balagova, echoed similar sentiments in a statement to the BBC.

“The Slovak constitution has fallen victim to Robert Fico’s plan to dismantle the opposition and divert attention from the real problems of society, as well as the austerity measures he had to pass,” she said.

“Fico does not genuinely care about gender issues, the ban on surrogate motherhood or even adoptions by LGBTQ people.

The president of Slovakia, Peter Pellegrini, is expected to sign the anti-LGBTQIA+ amendment into law.

Emma Ansley Knight has shared her top three recommendations for city break getaways on the continent this October, claiming they are on her ‘bucket list’ of autumnal escapes

If you’re mulling over an October getaway but haven’t settled on your destination, one travel expert has compiled a trio of European locations she believes are perfect to visit in the coming weeks. Each month, Emma Ansley Knight turns to TikTok to share video advice concerning her travel picks for the immediate period ahead.

And next month is no exception, with the revealing that as autumn vibes are kicking in, it’s time to unveil her “bucket list” of spots that are ideal to explore over the course of October before the much cooler weather sets in across the continent.

Ghent, Belgium

“This has been on my list for such a long time,” Emma admitted. “I’ve already done Bruges and Brussels, but Ghent often gets overlooked.”

Nevertheless, she noted that Ghent appears “a lot more charming” especially during autumn. “The thought of waking up there on an October morning with crisp blue skies, a little chill in the air and throwing on a jumper and walking down the canals with golden leaves on the floor is the picture of heaven in my head,” Emma declared.

Travellers can anticipate average temperatures of 14-15C in October.

Piedmont, Italy

“This place is an absolute paradise for foodies, wine lovers and truffle lovers as well,” Emma said of Piedmont, a region which borders Switzerland to the north and France to the west.

She continued: “It’s the white truffle capital of the world and there’s actually a lot of festivals that start in October (including the 2025 International Alba White Truffle Fair), so you can try pastas with different truffles or cheeses, and pair them with the local wine.”

Another advantage of travelling to Piedmont is its location at the base of the Alps – something Emma says offers “breathtaking views of unbelievable mountainous backdrops and golden vineyards”.

The area also enjoys an average October temperature of 18C, while Emma recommends flying into Turin.

Bratislava, Slovakia

Rounding off Emma’s recommendations is Slovakia’s capital, Bratislava, which she explained lies just an hour from Vienna, Austria and therefore presents a practical option should you wish to “tackle” both cities during one trip.

Emma added of the city positioned along the Danube: “Because so many people do visit Vienna, it [Bratislava] seems like a bit of a hidden gem. The old town looks so colourful, so charming and it’s also a really walkable city.”

She also highlighted that Bratislava is “a lot more affordable” than many of Europe’s other capital cities, making it an ideal choice for those wanting to keep costs down. With an average October temperature of 15C, though, anticipate a somewhat chillier experience than Piedmont.

One TikTok user, responding to Emma’s post, gushed about Ghent: “I recently did Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp in one trip to Belgium and Ghent was definitely top of the list, it’s lovely!”

While a second person shared their approval of Emma’s third recommendation, writing: “Love Bratislava and the Christmas markets are ace.”

Germany begin their World Cup qualifying group with defeat by Slovakia, the third straight loss for four-time winners.

Four-time world champions Germany suffered their first away loss in a World Cup qualifier after their shock 2-0 defeat by hosts Slovakia in their opening qualifier for the 2026 tournament.

The Germans, who have set a goal of winning the 2026 World Cup, had never before lost a World Cup qualifier on the road, and they have now lost their last three consecutive matches, following defeats by Portugal and France in the Nations League in June.

“We did not show any emotionality in our game today. In terms of emotions, the opponents were miles ahead of us,” Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann said after Thursday’s defeat. “We want to go to the World Cup, but today we were miles away from that.

“I want to see that emotionality. We picked the best players in Germany, but maybe we have to put less importance on quality and more on players who will give it all out there.”

The Germans have not made an impact in major international tournaments since last winning the World Cup in 2014.

Nagelsmann’s team were on the back foot with the Slovaks missing a golden chance in the opening seconds with Lubomir Satka. Germany goalkeeper Oliver Baumann then denied Leo Sauer in their one-on-one with a superb save in the 21st minute, in early warnings that the visitors did not heed.

Slovakia’s offensive play paid off in the 42nd when Germany’s Florian Wirtz lost possession and the hosts launched a quick break with David Hanchko completing it with a fine finish.

Germany, toothless in the first half, looked more aggressive after the break, and Leon Goretzka came close. However, Slovakia struck against the run of play, with David Strelec sending defender Antonio Rudiger the wrong way before curling a shot past Baumann in the 55th.

“The first five minutes of the second half were a bit brighter, but the rest was pretty grim,” Nagelsmann said.

“I trust my team, but they have to understand that simply being a better player than the opponent is not enough if you don’t show willingness and desire. You won’t get results with the handbrake on.”

The Germans, who were eliminated in the first round of the previous two World Cups, were unable to mount a serious comeback, lacking any ideas and punch up front.

Slovakia travel to Luxembourg for their next Group A match on Sunday, while Germany host Northern Ireland.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that President Trump’s administration is listening to the Kremlin’s justifications for its invasion of neighboring Ukraine and claimed that Moscow and Washington have come to a “mutual understanding” about the conflict.

Putin said during a visit to China that “the [Trump] administration is listening to us,” as he complained that former President Biden paid Moscow’s arguments no heed.

“Now we see this mutual understanding; it’s noticeable,” Putin said at a bilateral meeting with pro-Russian Slovak President Robert Fico after talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing. “We are very happy about this and hope this constructive dialogue will continue.”

But Russia faces possible punitive actions by Trump, who has expressed frustration at Putin’s lack of engagement in U.S.-led peace efforts and threatened unspecified “severe consequences.” The American president has made ending the three-year war one of his diplomatic priorities and hosted Putin at a summit in Alaska last month.

Putin attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in the Chinese city of Tianjin with Xi and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who are also facing pressure from Trump. The SCO started out as a security forum viewed as a foil to U.S. influence in Central Asia, but it has grown in influence over the years.

After the summit, the Russian leader held talks with Xi in Beijing, and on Wednesday he was to attend a massive military parade there commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

In Beijing, Putin struck an apparently amenable tone about possible progress in some aspects of the discussions to stop the fighting, although his comments reflected no substantial change in Russia’s position. Western leaders have accused Putin of marking time in peace efforts while Russia’s bigger army seeks to overwhelm Ukrainian defenses.

On the key issue of possible postwar security guarantees for Ukraine to deter another Russian invasion, Putin said: “It seems to me that there is an opportunity to find consensus.” He didn’t elaborate.

While Putin reiterated that Moscow will not accept membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization for Ukraine, he also noted that he had never objected to Ukraine joining the European Union.

He also said Russia “can work with our American partners” at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe’s largest and one of the 10 biggest atomic power plants in the world. Its fate has been a central concern of the war due to fears of a nuclear accident.

Putin said Russia could also work with Ukraine on the Zaporizhzhia question — “if favorable conditions arise.”

Fico said he planned to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday in the Ukrainian city of Uzhorod, which lies on the border with Slovakia, to talk about Ukraine’s attacks on Russian energy infrastructure.

Slovakia and Hungary, which refuse to provide arms to Ukraine, condemned recent strikes by Ukrainian troops against Russian oil infrastructure, namely the Druzhba oil pipeline. The two countries, as well as the Czech Republic, are exempt from a European Union ban on importing Russian oil, which they rely on.

Fico told Putin he wants to normalize relations and develop business ties with Russia while continuing to import Russian oil and natural gas.

July 18 (UPI) — The European Union on Friday reached an agreement to impose its 18th round of sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine after Slovakia ended its protest.

The package targets Russia’s so-called shadow fleet of ships as well as the energy and banking sectors. It also lowers the oil cap from $60 to $45 a barrel and prohibiting the EU from accessing Russian Nord Stream pipelines.

The EU is also, for the first time, sanctioning a flag registry and Russian oil company Rosneft’s largest refinery in India.

“We are standing firm,” the EU’s top diplomat, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, said in a statement.

“We will keep raising the costs, so stopping the aggression becomes the only path forward for Moscow.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen celebrated its adoption online, saying with the new package, “We are striking at the heart of Russia’s war machine.”

“The pressure is on,” she said. “It will stay on until Putin ends this war.”

The EU has been hitting Russia with sanctions since it illegally annexed Crimea in 2014, but they have significantly ramped up since its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. It has since blacklisted more than 2,400 people and entities with its 17 adopted packages, along with other punitive measures.

The 18th package was blocked for days by Slovakia, which was protesting a separate EU proposal to phase out all Russian fuel supplies by 2028. Slovakian President Robert Fico had requested an exemption to allow it to fulfill its contract with Russia’s Gazprom until it expires in 2034.

But he relinquished his request late Thursday in a video published to Facebook.

All 27 members of the bloc need to vote unanimously for the sanctions to be adopted.

“We welcome the European Union’s latest sanctions package and are grateful to all who have made it possible,” Yulia Svyrydenko, Ukraine’s new prime minister, said in a statement.

“By targeting the ships, the banks and the networks that sustain Russia’s war, this package strengthens the pressures where it counts. There is more to be done. But each measure taken with clarity and resolve helps bring Russia’ war closer to its end.”

Nearly 22,000 entities and individuals have been hit with sanctions over Russia’s war in Ukraine, according to sanctions analysis platform Castellum, making it by far the most sanctioned country in the world.

The EU has imposed the fourth-most sanctions against Russia, following the United States, Canada and Switzerland.

The Kremlin has said that US President Donald Trump’s recent statements, including a threat to impose sanctions on Russia’s trading partners, are serious and require time to assess.

Amid growing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump on Monday announced new deliveries of weapons, including Patriot missile systems, to Ukraine via NATO and said that buyers of Russian exports could face severe tariffs if Moscow fails to agree to a peace deal within 50 days, signalling a major policy shift in Washington.

“The US president’s statements are very serious. Some of them are addressed personally to President Putin,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow on Tuesday.

“We certainly need time to analyse what was said in Washington. And if and when President Putin deems it necessary, he will definitely comment.”

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev mocked Trump’s announcement, calling it a “theatrical ultimatum” and saying that “Russia didn’t care”. Medvedev, who now serves as deputy chair of Russia’s Security Council, has frequently issued strident remarks throughout the war.

Russian Senator Konstantin Kosachev was similarly dismissive. Writing on Telegram, he said Trump’s announcement would have no impact on public sentiment in Russia and claimed the United States was setting a trap for Europe — forcing NATO states to pay for weapons that would primarily benefit the US arms industry.

“Only the American military-industrial complex will profit from this,” Kosachev said.

Olesia Horiainova, co-founder of the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Center, expressed hope that the US would continue to sell weaponry to Ukraine and called for “harsher” sanctions on Russia, which, she said, “is showing no signs of being interested” in “stopping the war”.

She told Al Jazeera that US sanctions on purchasers of Russian oil could have a major impact on Russia’s economy.

“Every dollar that is put into Russia’s economy right now is being spent on the war – so, yes, if the sanctions will be imposed eventually on Russia in 50 days, or earlier hopefully, it will feel that hugely.”

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte suggested that Brazil, China and India could be among the countries impacted if they continue to trade with Russia following Trump’s warning.

“My encouragement to these three countries, particularly is, if you live now in Beijing, or in Delhi, or you are the president of Brazil, you might want to take a look into this, because this might hit you very hard,” Rutte said.

“So please make the phone call to Vladimir Putin and tell him that he has to get serious about peace talks, because otherwise this will slam back on Brazil, on India and on China in a massive way,” he said.

Europeans promise to support weapons shipments

Several European countries pledged to support Trump’s proposal to send more weapons to Ukraine.

Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said Copenhagen would “do its part” to finance Patriot systems for Ukraine, though he gave no specifics. “It seems the US is finally on the right side,” Rasmussen told reporters in Brussels.

The Netherlands and Sweden also said they were exploring ways to support the initiative. Sweden’s Defence Minister Pal Jonson welcomed Trump’s pressure on Russia and confirmed Stockholm would contribute to the delivery of weapons, though details remained unclear.

Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said the announcements showed that “leadership is once again coming from the US.”

EU sanctions package stalls

But in a sign that European unity regarding Russia’s war on Ukraine remains fragile, the European Union’s planned 18th sanctions package stalled on Tuesday after Slovakia requested a delay in the vote. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who visited the Kremlin last year, said the move reflected domestic political concerns over gas supplies amid a looming ban on Russian imports from 2028.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas voiced frustration at the setback. “I’m really sad the sanctions didn’t get approved,” she said. “But I hope they will be passed tomorrow.”

Kallas added that the EU welcomes Trump’s commitment to defending Ukraine but said Washington must also “share the burden”.

In a separate move, the European Council imposed asset freezes on five Russian judicial officials accused of persecuting opposition figure Alexei Gorinov, citing human rights violations.

‘Centuries ago people used to say, ‘In three days the Piešťany water will either heal you or kill you.’” My guide Igor Paulech is showing me around Spa Island – a hot-spring haven in the middle of the Váh River that runs through Piešťany, Slovakia’s most prestigious spa town. Just an hour north of Bratislava by train, the town and its spa-populated island are packed with grand art nouveau and art deco buildings.

There’s a faint aroma of sulphur in the air as Igor paces ahead, past peacocks and ponds full of lilies, imparting his home town’s history. The hot water that springs from beneath the island sandbank has created what we’re all here for: a blueish medicinal mud that’s rich in hydrogen sulphide and sulphur.

Slovakia is gaining an international reputation for its affordable and high-quality spa treatments. I’m here to visit three of its leading spa towns, travelling entirely by rail. The journey from London is straightforward and took less than 24 hours thanks to the new European Sleeper route that leaves Brussels for Prague three nights a week, and a direct train from Prague to Piešťany.

On checking in at the Thermia Palace, the history of this grand 113-year-old hotel and neighbouring Irma Health Spa is immediately apparent. Photographs of maharajas, politicians and singers who have visited are on display, and a painting donated by Alfonse Mucha, the Czech artist whose work defined the art nouveau style, hangs in the hotel’s dining room. His daughter came here regularly for the balneotherapy (mineral-water hydrotherapy), and there is a small museum on Spa Island dedicated to his work.

I’m assigned to Dr Alena Korenčíková, who immediately notices I have hypermobility and draws up a personalised programme that includes visits to the thermal bath, filled with sulphuric mineral water, and the hot-mud pool. I’m also prescribed daily CO2 injections. Known as carboxytherapy, this treatment is meant to help muscle recovery and tissue regeneration; my rock-hard shoulders feel noticeably looser afterwards. And finally, I’m prescribed a mud-pack treatment, which is recommended for reducing swelling and inflammation, and nourishing the joints. When I explain that I’m going to Trenčianske Teplice and hope to continue mud treatment there, Dr Alena says: “They have peat, it’s not the same as ours.” Time to fine-tune my mud knowledge.

As I submerge myself in the warm cloudy water, my toes squish into the mineral mud that is pumped directly from the mud kitchen (where it’s treated) into the vast circular pool. The building is as thrilling as the bathing. The 19th-century dome above the pool is the spa’s stunning centrepiece, with stained glass art deco skylight windows sitting high up on the art nouveau walls decorated with tiles, floral motifs and cherubs. Piešťany is just as much about architecture as about bathing, it seems.

Local architect Eva Rohoňová cements this theory the following day, when she shows me around the extraordinary House of Arts, a colossal piece of 1970s brutalism that houses the town’s concert hall and cultural centre. “It’s far too big a capacity for just people from Piešťany,” she says. “The Czechoslovakian government built it here as the town was full of international visitors. It was to demonstrate the culture.” She has been giving tours of otherwise inaccessible interior spaces to locals over the years, but anyone can arrange one through the Visit Piešťany website.

After three mud-packed days, I take a train north to Trenčianske Teplice just outside Trenčín, one of next year’s European Capitals of Culture. I’m instantly taken by the picturesque spa town with its mix of baby pink and peachy orange 19th-century guesthouses and angular 1960s concrete hotels. Daniel Oriešek from the tourist board shows me around. I point out the steady stream of visitors carrying walking poles. “It’s not the Tatras, but people come here for hiking,” he says, alluding to Slovakia’s West Carpathian range which forms a scenic backdrop to the town.

They also come to bathe at the Sina hammam, an ornate Turkish bathhouse that looks as though it could have been teleported here from Istanbul. It was in fact built in 1888 and designed by František Schmoranz Jr, an Austrian architect of Czech origin who had spent several years living in Egypt and was a leading expert on Islamic architecture and decorative arts.

I’m ushered in and shown to the pool, where an unexpected delight greets me: a huge socialist-era mural that covers one entire wall. I soak in the water and copy the locals, who splash their faces with water from the source in the middle of the pool. Afterwards, my skin looks and feels fantastic and, with an entry price of just £12.50, I’m already plotting my next visit as I exit the building.

The next day I catch a train to Žilina, a city in the north of the country, where I disembark to hop on a bus for Rajecké Teplice. It’s a village compared with Piešťany and only has the one spa, Aphrodite, but that spa is truly unlike anywhere else I’ve been. Lovingly maximalist, with Roman-style columns, mosaics and gold decor that glimmers in the crisp spring sunshine, this is the Vegas of spa resorts. “When you are lying on a sunbed on a hot summer day and take a cold dip in the pool, it’s like you’re not in Slovakia,” says staff member Radka Capkova. “Everyone knows Slovakia has lots of spas, but it’s usually older people who want to go. But our spa is so famous that we get younger people here taking photos.”

It’s a huge complex of 11 saunas, three restaurants, an outdoor swimming pool and Nature Land, where bathing is naked after 5pm. I feel far too British for this, but wearing a bikini to a sauna is a firm no in central Europe, so I collect a sauna sheet and tuck it around myself like a sarong. Capkova encourages me to attend one of their “sauna ritual” events (or Aufguss) and get over the nudity: “No one stares or looks,” he says.

I go to the hottest ritual, where the sauna master swirls around like a figure skater, splashing orange, lemongrass and yuzu water over the hot coals as pop songs blast out and everyone claps along – the camaraderie is so infectious that I quickly forget everyone is naked.

“My great-great-grandmother, my great-aunt, my mother, everyone worked here at some point,” Capkova tells me. Rajecké Teplice is the smallest of the spa towns I’ve been to, but it has a big community impact. Spas are just in the blood in Slovakia. “But in the UK you don’t go to the spa?” It’s a question I get asked a lot throughout this week. “We’re working on it,” I always reply.

The trip was provided by Visit Piešťany, Trenčianske Teplice Regional Tourism, Spa Aphrodite and Byway Travel (byway.travel). A bespoke 10-day tour of Slovakia costs from £2,012pp, including transport and some accommodation

Lexie Limitless, a US YouTuber who became the youngest person to visit every nation in the world at the age of 21, has named her four least-favourite European countries

A globe-trotting YouTuber who has visited every country in the world has shared her thoughts on the 44 nations in Europe, saying there are four she would not return to. American Lexie Limitless holds the impressive title of being the youngest person to visit every country in the world at just 21.

In her latest video, ‘I travelled to every country in Europe so you don’t have to’, Lexie reveals some of her favourite “hidden gems” from the continent – including Slovenia, Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Cesky Krumlov in Czech Republic.

However, she also discusses four nations that didn’t quite hit the mark for her.

Lexie said: “Alright, it’s time to talk about one of my least favourite subjects, and I got to say in advance that travel is so subjective. Places that I’ve been that I didn’t necessarily connect with might not be the same for everyone.

“Everyone’s preferences are different, but I think that the countries that didn’t really leave as much of an impression on me as some of the others in Europe would probably be Belarus, Slovakia, Moldova and Bulgaria.”

She continued: “If I had to name a few specifically, I think it was just that in those countries, in particular, it’s so important to know a good local who’s going to show you around and show you all the best spots.”

Lexie believes travel is “mostly about” the people you meet along the way. As she didn’t know anybody in these countries, she had a “really difficult” time obtaining “unique experiences”.

She added that it’s almost “unfair” to compare smaller nations like Moldova or Bulgaria, to a country like Italy, as they have some “advantages” geographically, noting the “diversity” in their “environment“.

The seasoned traveller also stated that she tries to “avoid” naming specific countries that she may not necessarily recommend and would “absolutely love” to go back if she had “more of a purpose” or reason to be there beyond sightseeing.

Belarus, a former Soviet republic, is a landlocked nation in Eastern Europe that shares its borders with Russia, Ukraine, and Poland, among others. Since 1994, it has been ruled by President Alexander Lukashenko, who has been dubbed “Europe’s last dictator.”

Situated within the heart of the continent, Slovakia borders the Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Poland and Ukraine. It was formerly part of Czechoslovakia until the so-called “velvet divorce” in 1993.

Meanwhile, Moldova, another landlocked country and former Soviet republic, is nestled between Ukraine and Romania. The BBC reports that two-thirds of its population share Romanian roots, highlighting their shared heritage.

Bulgaria, situated in the eastern Balkans with a coastline along the Black Sea, is predominantly Slavonic-speaking. Since the fall of Communism, it has been steadily transitioning towards a market economy.

The Slovak leader has repeatedly accused judges and prosecutors who probe his allies of political bias.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has criticised a judge who convicted the governor of the country’s central bank in a corruption case.

Reacting to the conviction of Petr Kazimir, his former finance minister, the combative premier suggested on Friday that the verdict was politically motivated, and that Specialised Criminal Court judge Milan Cisarik should be investigated for criminal acts.

Since returning to power in 2023, Fico has torn down police and prosecutor units set up to investigate corruption during his previous years in power between 2012 – 2020.

Kazimir was found guilty and fined 200,000 euros ($226,500) on Thursday for bribing a tax official during his tenure as finance minister in Fico’s previous government. Claiming that the longstanding charges were fabricated, he denied any wrongdoing and said that he plans to appeal.

“The judge’s decision raises the question whether it should have served political aims of the opposition to damage the ruling parties, because even a law faculty student must see fatal nonsense in the verdict,” the Slovak leader said on Thursday.

“I cannot shake off the feeling that it is justified to look at potential suspicion that the judge committed multiple criminal acts and at what the ruling was supposed to serve.”

The court did not respond to Fico’s remarks. The For Open Justice (ZOJ) NGO warned: “Questioning a specific judgment through public statements by members of the government can also be perceived as indirect political pressure on the judiciary.”

Revenge

Fico fell from power in 2020 amid the scandal over the 2018 assassination of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak. The new government set up special units to investigate a suspected network of corruption around the former PM and his inner circle.

Fico routinely complained that the measures were politically motivated. On returning to power in late 2023, he immediately began tearing up the units and amended the criminal code to lower punishments for corruption.

Critics have accused him of becoming obsessed with exacting revenge on those involved in probes against his circle.

Kazimir, was the first of Fico’s former ministers to stand trial when he first faced the court in April 2023 accused of paying a bribe of 48,000 euros ($54,360) in 2017-18 to the chief of the country’s tax office, in connection with an audit of a number of private companies.

His term at the head of the National Bank of Slovakia ends on June 1, but he will stay on until a replacement is appointed.