Since the beginning of the Russian Special Military Operation in Ukraine, the West has been actively providing weapons to Ukraine. However, earlier Slovakia claimed it wouldn’t do that. The country's Prime Minister once again confirmed the intention not to provide military assistance to Ukraine.
"I repeat for the umpteenth time: We will not send state military assistance to Ukraine, no weapons, no munitions. EU rules give us this right. They say that any military aid for Ukraine is subject to bilateral cooperation, which means that the decision to send weapons to Ukraine is voluntary," he said in a video address.
Fico argued that EU leaders did not expressly pledge further military assistance to Ukraine at their summit in late October, but instead agreed that they wanted for it to continue. He said that Slovakia would only provide Kiev with humanitarian aid.
Fico and parliamentary speaker Peter Pellegrini confirmed earlier in the day that private Slovak defense companies would still be allowed to deliver on the contracts they entered into with Ukraine under the previous government.