India, May 24 -- Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has intensified criticism of the European Union's push to deepen ties with Ukraine, declaring that Kyiv is "completely unprepared" to join the bloc and warning that politically motivated accession could destabilize the EU itself.

The remarks come at a sensitive moment for Europe after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz proposed creating an associate member status for Ukraine, a move designed to bring Kyiv closer to European institutions while avoiding immediate full membership obligations. The proposal has triggered fierce debate across Europe, exposing widening fractures between Brussels and several Central European governments over the future direction of the EU.

In a video address rele...