(Reuters) – Slovakia’s newly appointed Prime Minister, Robert Fico, has stated that he does not intend to impede the exports of private defence companies, despite his promise to cease military aid for neighbouring Ukraine. Slovakia, a member of NATO, hosts manufacturers of artillery ammunition and heavy military vehicles, some of which have been sent to Ukraine.
Fico’s party won the election on September 30 after campaigning against Western backing for Ukraine, sanctions on Russia, and foreign policies of the United States. On Monday, Fico reiterated his commitment to halting any transfers from the army’s storage facilities to assist Ukraine in countering Russian aggression, but emphasized that private businesses would not be affected.
“We have made it very clear, and I want to emphasize again, we are referring to weapons and ammunition from the Slovak army’s storage, to state-owned assets,” Fico said following a meeting with Defence Minister Robert Kalinak.
He added, “When a company wishes to produce weapons and export them elsewhere, no obstacles will be imposed.”
Fico announced that the government will conduct a comprehensive assessment of the nation’s equipment and ammunition stocks and prioritize replenishing them. He also highlighted the enhancement of Slovakia’s air defense capabilities as a major focus.
Under the previous center-right government, Slovakia was a strong supporter of Ukraine and provided military assistance, including combat vehicles, an S-300 air defense system, and MiG-29 jets.
Regarding existing commercial and political arrangements, Kalinak specified that certain treaties did not afford Slovakia an equal standing, though he did not cite specific examples.
Prior to the election, Fico told Reuters that he aimed to renegotiate the Defense Cooperation Agreement with the United States, which grants U.S. access to Slovak airports — a treaty that most NATO member states possess but one that Fico has heavily criticized in the past.
(Reporting by Jan Lopatka in Prague; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
