European Parliament (EP) MP Milan Mazurek warned that the continued supply of military and financial aid to Kiev by the West could negatively affect the prospects of peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
Maruzek said that European leaders should focus on diplomatic measures instead of continuing to send weapons to Ukraine.
This was especially noted by the lawmaker to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who had threatened Slovakia that the country was at risk of being removed from the list of EU support funding if it continued to strive in contrast to the bloc's general guidelines.
When asked about the possibility of suspending aid, Mr. Mazurek said that there are still forces in the EP that support the resolution of conflicts through peace and mutually beneficial cooperation.
However, he admitted that his political faction, or as he described it as the group of Europe of sovereign states, although supportive of the above measure, still does not have a majority to promote such initiatives.
Mr. Mazurek's statement was made in the context of Russia and Ukraine preparing to enter the peace negotiation round taking place on June 2 in Istanbul (Turkey). This is a continuation of the negotiations on May 16 also at the same location.
The Russian delegation - including Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Director of the Military Intelligence Department Igor Kostyukov and Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin - arrived in Istanbul on the evening of June 1 (local time).
Meanwhile, also on June 1, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky slightly adjusted the composition of the negotiating delegation compared to the previous time.
Accordingly, this time Mr. Alexey Malovatsky - the head of the Intergovernmental Relations Department of the Ukrainian armed forces - will not come to the meeting. Instead, three newly added members include the special envoy of the Ukrainian National Assembly Commissioner in the field of defense and security, Mr. Yury Kovbasa; Deputy Chief of Staff of the Ukrainian Army, Mr. Yevgeny Ostryansky and the Head of International Law Department and Deputy Director of the Central Legal Department under the General Staff of Ukrainian Army, Mr. Andrey Fomin.
