On Tuesday, thousands of people demonstrated against the Slovak government, which some claim has become too close to Russia, and in support of Ukraine in the streets of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. Since assuming office in October of last year, Prime Minister Robert Fitz’s administration has drawn criticism for its harsh criticism of European military aid to Ukraine and its attempts to mend political and cultural ties with Russia.

The most recent instance happened this month when Sergey Lavrov, the foreign minister of Russia, and Juraj Blanar, the foreign minister of Slovakia, had a rare high-level meeting between a nation the EU has worked to isolate and an EU member state. “People in Ukraine hear this every day,” Michal Hvorecki, the protest coordinator, stated to the gathering as the demonstration got underway.

“I am here because the actions of this government coalition cross all borders,” Hvorecki said from a podium where a sign calling Russia a “terrorist state” was hung next to the flags of Slovakia, Ukraine, the European Union and NATO.

After the elections, our prime minister took a direction that I don’t like. “We belong to the West,” declared Roman, a 45-year-old computer scientist who participated in the demonstration on Tuesday.

After more than two years since the Russian invasion, Fico maintains that his government’s foreign policy is “balanced and sovereign” and asserts that there is no military solution to the conflict in Ukraine.

In addition, Foreign Minister Blanar defended the meeting with Lavrov on March 2, claiming it was arranged at their request and that a diplomatic solution was required.