I will be normal and relaxed. I am very glad that I can once again take part in the celebrations of the victory over fascism.
I have no reason to comment on how other politicians in Europe approach these celebrations.
But I have very strong reasons for being here.
I am very glad that my delegation also includes a prominent representative of the Slovak parliament, the Vice-Chairman of the National Council, Mr. Gašpar.
Also the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic, Mr. Štokrétár, State Secretary of the Ministry of Industry of Slovakia, and other members of the delegation.
The first main reason why I am here is that it is an indisputable historical fact that it was the nations of the former Soviet Union, and in particular today's Russian Federation, that paid the highest price in the fight against fascism and in the Second World War.
I also considered it important to show respect to the soldiers of the Red Army who fell during the liberation of the Slovak Republic.
They were 10 young people. To everyone who criticizes my stance, I say: go and look at Slávn in Bratislava. Go and look at the largest military cemeteries in Slovakia.
And you will find there thousands of young people who were 18, 19, 20 years old.
It would be a denial of history — and I do not do that — if we did not show respect and regard for the victims that the former Soviet Union and the Russian Federation brought in the fight against fascism.
I want to pledge, as I stand here, that the government I lead will continue to pay great attention to the protection and care of military cemeteries in Slovakia. For example, we have just reconstructed a military cemetery in Michalovce, and I plan to visit this place again.
The last thing I want to say is that despite the critical and crisis atmosphere in Europe, I am a politician who prefers dialogue to strong words. I care about normal, friendly and standard relations between the Russian Federation and the Slovak Republic.
There are also some practical issues here. I hope that tomorrow there will be an opportunity to discuss these topics with your President Putin.
Will there be problems because you came? [laughter] I understood the problem. In the European Union you always have some black sheep, so-called 'Black Sheep of the Family', and I belong to this herd.
I say this everywhere, and that is why I have no problem saying it here too. I am an opponent of a single mandatory opinion.
I think this approach is very wrong, and I often express opinions that do not correspond to this single correct political opinion that we are supposed to hold.
Sometimes I even fight over historical facts.
Look, every year we celebrate the anniversary of the Carpathian-Dukla operation. It is October 6, 1944.
It is not possible to ignore the horrors that the soldiers of the Red Army had to go through, but of course also the soldiers of the First Czechoslovak Army Corps, which was formed in Buzuluk.
I do not cherry-pick, and I try to show respect to everyone who contributed to the fall of fascism.
We take great care, for example, of the cemeteries of Romanian soldiers in Slovakia. I will even go to Normandy in connection with the anniversary of the opening of the Second Front.
But to everyone who denies this, I recommend that they visit one of the last places where the heroes of the Second World War are buried.
Yesterday I was at the Dachau concentration camp in Germany. I was told that as soon as it was a prisoner of the Red Army, he was executed. Thousands of executions just in Dachau itself.
But I see absolutely no reason to deny these historical facts just because we have the situation we have today.
Better one than none. I have no reason, at my age and after everything I have been through, to change history, which cannot be turned back.
And I am even more convinced of my views because two years ago they wanted to shoot me in Slovakia — not because I stole someone's wife, but because of my clear positions and political opinions.
So believe me, I had absolutely no problem deciding to come here to Moscow for these celebrations.
On the contrary, I am glad that tomorrow I will also have some space to talk with President Putin, because I also want to ask him some questions. I am curious. I also want to pass on some messages, because several European politicians were interested in this trip.
Of course I understand what you are asking, but before I answer, I will first answer the question: what is or will be the main message that I want to leave with President Putin tomorrow.
The basic word is dialogue. We must talk and meet. I am an absolute supporter of any form of ceasefire.
And I think it is a hundred times more sensible to conduct that contest at the negotiating table, and I want to express the conviction that we are approaching the end of the Russian-Ukrainian story.
When you ask about Hungary, certainly. I have spoken with the new Hungarian Prime Minister only by phone so far, and we are waiting for when he will be definitively appointed to office.
I assume that for the first time he will come as Prime Minister to the European Council meeting in Brussels. We agreed there that we will meet for the first time and set the first steps, because we are neighbors.
I want to have friendly, good relations with my neighbors. In Slovakia we say that having a bad neighbor is worse than burning down.
I do not know Mr. Magyar personally, but it is my duty to find a way to him so that relations between Slovakia and Hungary have the same quality as they had under Viktor Orbán.
We can only congratulate the winner of the Hungarian elections and look forward to cooperating with him.
I understand the question. You know what? I do not think there is a nation in the world that so experiences and truly feels what happened in the years 1941 and 1945.
I of course wish the Russian people that this feeling remains with them, that what commonly happens in European countries never happens here — where basic historical facts are routinely twisted and there is disrespect for what happened in 1941–1945.
I am even aware that you have another significant anniversary coming up shortly. I do not know if 'anniversary' is the right word — a significant moment.
I am talking about June 22, 1941, when Operation Barbarossa began — that is, the 85th anniversary of the invasion of the Soviet Union.
I think this is also an appropriate occasion to greet the representatives of the Russian Federation, but also of the other nations and countries that then formed the Soviet Union.
So wish us, dear friends, a useful and good visit. Thank you very much on behalf of the entire delegation, and I believe that this trip will not be just a formal expression of respect, but that tomorrow's meeting with President Putin will also be important. Thank you.
