AYESHA RASCOE, HOST:
Russia has a new friend in Europe. Slovakia, Ukraine's neighbor, just concluded parliamentary elections, and a party led by a pro-Russian politician came out on top. The leader is Robert Fico. He's a two-time prime minister but was ousted in 2018 after mass protests over the murder of a journalist who was investigating government corruption. This time around, Fico campaigned on an anti-immigration, anti-LGBTQ+ and an anti-American platform. He wants to cut military support for Ukraine amid Russia's invasion and opposes EU sanctions on Russia. Instead of arming Ukraine, Fico says the West should help Russia and Ukraine hatch a deal to end the war. Up to now, Slovakia, a NATO member, supported Ukraine's effort to repel Russia. It sent arms and military equipment into Ukraine and took in refugees. But now many worry about fractures within NATO with the rise of Fico.
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