The Slovak head of state later visited the Bundestag, where he was welcomed by its current President Norbert Lammert. “It has been during your term in presidential office that we have seen our relations intensified at all levels, political as well as economic. Germany has massively invested in Slovakia and our cooperation is very fruitful,” Lammert noted.

The Slovak president said the two countries took very similar positions within the EU, NATO, the UN and other international institution which confirmed their close partnership. Slovakia considers its relationships with Germany strategic, according to Gašparovič. The two officials also discussed the recent developments across the European Union.

Also in Berlin, President Ivan Gašparovič met with German President Joachim Gauck. They discussed economic and cultural cooperation between their respective countries, as well as EU affairs. One of the key issues on the agenda of their joint meeting was the current situation in Ukraine.
“Slovakia must do everything to be able to lend Ukraine a helping hand,” the Slovak President said after the meeting. “There is not so much aggression in the streets in Ukraine for the moment being, but political tensions have sure remained. We are all waiting how it will turn and how we could help,” he added. In his opinion, the support and assistance provided to Ukraine should be reasonable and produce its results, that is, Ukraine as part of Europe.