Fico: Von der Leyen scolded me terribly during last conversation, saying I was a complete idiot

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has complained about his last phone conversation with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, which concerned future US tariffs against the EU.

As reported by TA3, Fico said at a press conference on 31 March that during the conversation, "Ursula scolded me terribly".

"Like, Robert, what have you done? Why did you go to such negotiations with Trump? She scolded me for half an hour, saying I was a complete idiot," he told reporters.

Updated at 19:07. Later, Fico wrote that his remark about the "idiot" was a joke, but "the Slovak media and opposition did not understand it."

Meanwhile, the Slovak prime minister promised von der Leyen that he would take an active position in resolving the issue of tariffs, which are expected to hit the country's automotive industry first.

"We will soon have a meeting with the producers, we will listen very carefully to what measures they will propose, and we will again propose them professionally to the European Commission so that the European Union negotiates and reacts together," Fico added.

Robert Fico has repeatedly parroted pro-Russian talking points and openly confronted Ukraine on the issue of Russian gas transit.

Recently, the Slovak prime minister threatened to block further European sanctions against Russia if, in his words, they threatened the peaceful settlement of the war in Ukraine.