Melicher: EU Aims to Shift Defense Financing Responsibilities from the US to Europe

Bratislava – Igor Melicher, Slovakia’s State Secretary of the Ministry of Defense, criticized U.S. President Joe Biden’s recent decision to permit Ukraine to use long-range ATACMS missiles against targets in Russia. In a statement on social media, Melicher labeled this move as a “prime example of cowardice and a denial of democracy,” adding that the European Union is expected to impose significant financial burdens on European nations for defense efforts. His remarks were reported by TASR.

Melicher argued that for two years, Biden refrained from granting Ukraine this capability, likely due to political calculations regarding the potential outcomes of the presidential election. Following the elections, he described Biden’s approval as a “cowardly move” executed before the new president assumes office.

The State Secretary further claimed that the European Union’s allocation of nearly 400 billion euros to military expenditures indicates its intention to extend the conflict in Ukraine while transferring the financial responsibilities from the U.S. budget to European countries.

On November 17th, various American and European media outlets reported that President Biden had authorized the Ukrainian forces to utilize ATACMS missiles for strikes on Russian territory.

Earlier this year, in June, Melicher was critical of the previous Slovak government led by Eduard Heger for supplying MiG-29 jets and parts of the Kub air defense system to Ukraine. He announced that the Ministry of Defense would be filing a criminal complaint concerning these actions. Melicher stated that the complaints against Heger’s cabinet and former Defense Minister Jaroslav Naď involve allegations of sabotage, abuse of official authority, and neglect of responsibilities in the management of foreign assets. (November 19th)