In Slovakia, former Prime Minister Robert Fico emerged as the leading candidate to head a coalition government after his Russia-friendly party won the largest share of votes in Sunday’s parliamentary election. Fico has called for negotiations to end Russia’s war in Ukraine and campaigned on a pledge to halt arms shipments from Slovakia to Kyiv. He previously said allowing Ukraine to join NATO would “mean the beginning of World War III.” On Sunday, Fico said a top priority of the new government should be to crack down on asylum seekers and migrants crossing Slovakia’s border with Hungary.

Robert Fico: “One of the government’s first decisions must be a government regulation to restore border controls with Hungary. And yes, that’s all there is to it, and I stand by it. It won’t be pretty pictures. Force may be needed to solve the migrant problem.”

The liberal Progressive Slovakia party, which came in second and supports arming Ukraine, said it will try to form a coalition to prevent Fico from taking power.