"Robert Fico said on Saturday that his recent meeting with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago demonstrated the strength of Slovakia’s 'sovereign foreign policy', highlighting progress toward a nuclear energy cooperation agreement with the United States. Speaking in a video message recorded aboard a plane, Fico said Slovakia had been treated as an 'equal partner' during the talks. “No one has looked down on us; if we express our opinions freely,” he said. The meeting was followed by the signing of a framework agreement on nuclear energy cooperation, as Slovakia plans to build a new state-owned nuclear reactor with a capacity of up to 1,200 megawatts. The project is expected to be located at the Jaslovské Bohunice site and could see a contract awarded to US-based Westinghouse Electric Company as early as next year. According to Fico, the planned reactor would cost around €15 billion ($17.4 billion) and is expected to be completed by around 2040. The Slovak prime minister said discussions with Trump also covered geopolitical issues, including the European Union, energy and migration. “We did not avoid evaluating the European Union, its competitiveness, energy, and migration policy, noting a complete consensus in viewing the Union as an institution in deep crisis,” he said. Slovakia currently operates five nuclear reactors across two power plants, all based on Russian designs, making diversification a strategic priority for Bratislava. Fico said talks at Mar-a-Lago also focused on international affairs, with particular attention given to the conflict in Ukraine. “I clearly declared the Slovak stance on peace and the opinion that diplomacy and mutual listening must take precedence over military solutions,” he said, adding that US officials were receptive to Slovakia’s position. “The American representatives were interested in our positions because they knew that we are not a Brussels parrot.” Fico was accompanied during the meeting by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar. A long-time critic of EU policy, Fico has aligned closely with Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban in opposing military aid to Ukraine, ambitious climate targets and the bloc’s migration approach. Trump has urged European countries to reduce reliance on Russian energy. Slovakia and Hungary have previously received temporary exemptions due to their heavy dependence on Russian supplies."