Bratislava – Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) has explicitly stated his opposition to supporting the war in Ukraine, rejecting any form of military or financial aid for the country. This position was articulated following an extraordinary summit of Western leaders in London and ahead of a forthcoming EU summit in Brussels, as reported by TASR.
Fico expressed his intention to advocate for several initiatives during the upcoming Brussels summit. He mentioned that he will participate in the parliamentary committee for European affairs on Thursday (March 6) to seek approval for a position that will be presented at the EU summit.
“Should the European Union decide to persist in significantly supporting Ukraine through financial and military means, it should be conducted on a bilateral basis,” Fico remarked. He emphasized that Slovakia does not subscribe to the notion of “peace through strength,” stating that this approach has proven ineffective over the past three years. The Prime Minister also noted that his government is not willing to allocate funds from the state budget to finance the conflict in Ukraine.
At the summit, the Slovak government plans to advocate for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, an end to hostilities, and the commencement of peace negotiations involving the USA, Russia, and Ukraine.
“If Russia and the United States wish to establish a foundation for dialogue, they should engage in discussions among themselves first, and subsequently allow Ukraine and Europe to join in,” Fico concluded.
Additionally, he stated that the government supports enhancing the defense capabilities of the European Union and Europe overall. “We are ready to contribute constructively to this effort, provided there are allowances regarding the growth and stability pact and that we can integrate dual-use projects into defense expenditures,” he highlighted, pointing out that Slovakia is undergoing consolidation and does not possess the same economic strength as other nations.
The extraordinary EU summit focused on support for Ukraine and European defense is scheduled for March 6 in Brussels. This meeting was called to address the significant shift in US policy regarding the war in Ukraine, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also being invited. (March 3)
“If Russia and the United States want to create some background, then let them communicate together for a while, and then at some point Ukraine can join, and Europe can also join.” Robert Fico.
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