Slovakia’s new populist prime minister Robert Fico struck a pragmatic tone in Brussels on Thursday as he sat down for one-on-one talks with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg over Bratislava’s critical attitude towards military support for Ukraine.
In recent months, Slovakia has garnered international attention as Fico and his NATO-critical Smer party won the general election and formed a coalition government. This came after two years of political instability, partially driven by the economic impact of anti-Russian sanctions. Many Western pundits feared that the Central European country was on the cusp of a permanent anti-Atlanticist turn.
Slovakia joined Hungary in becoming a vocal critic of a fast-track of Ukraine’s prospective EU membership. Fico himself stated that Europe must prepare for post-war normalisation of relations with Russia and suspended military aid to Ukraine.
Fico has outlined, both on the campaign trail and in government, his belief in the futility of sending additional weapons to Ukraine and emphasised the need for peace talks. Meanwhile, Slovakian truckers have joined Poles in a blockade of the Ukrainian border over unfair trading rules favouring Ukrainian companies.
Regardless of the growing rupture between Slovakia and the military alliance, Stoltenberg was keen to praise Fico for his efforts at a Brussels press conference after their meeting, while the Slovakian PM downplayed claims that he was anti-NATO.
Opting to focus on the positive rather than disagreements over Ukraine, Stoltenberg lauded Slovakia for meeting the 2% spending requirement for defence as well as continuing humanitarian aid to Kyiv.
Fico in turn defended his stance on Ukraine, saying that the current war with Russia lacked a peace initiative. He also complained that Western media coverage had unfairly portrayed him as a ‘devil’ and added that he was merely fighting for Slovakia’s national interests.
Without mentioning Slovakia directly, Stoltenberg said that support for Ukraine today was a long-term investment against future Russian aggression.
The meeting between Fico and Stoltenberg occurs at the same time EU leaders are meeting for a European Council summit where Hungary’s resistance to Ukraine’s EU membership is a hot topic.
Austria is just the latest country, alongside Hungary and Slovakia, to add their name publicly to those opposing fast-tracking Ukrainian accession.
Many EU leaders privately fear the geopolitical and structural impact on the EU caused by Ukraine joining the bloc. Meanwhile, there are increasing signs that European and American elites are losing patience with a Ukrainian victory following a lacklustre counteroffensive.
There are also growing signs that Slovakia could be in line for the ‘Hungarian treatment’ when it comes to EU rule of law investigations.
