Slovakian President: Slovakia's joining NATO will not influence its relationship with Russia

Slovakia's president Rudolf Schuster believes his country's joining NATO will not influence its relationship with Russia, said the Slovakian leader in St. Petersburg on Friday.

Schuster believes that "the time when there were two opposing sides" is now over and Slovakia intends to cooperate intensively with Russia in combating terrorism. He was also skeptical about the possibility of placing NATO nuclear weapons on the territory of Slovakia.

The agreement on nuclear weapons cuts, concluded by the Russian and US presidents is a proof of it, Schuster said. "If the number of warheads is reduced they will have nothing to place on the territory of Slovakia," said the president.

Besides cooperation in combating terrorism, Slovakia is going to increase its economic cooperation with Russia, Schuster stated.

It is impossible to establish peace in the world without Russia's participation. There may be no united Europe without Russia and Ukraine, the Slovakian president noted.