During their meeting in Ukraine’s westernmost regional capital of Uzhhorod on 24 January, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and his Slovakian counterpart, Robert Fico, agreed on several matters, notably Slovakia’s backing for the Ukraine Facility, the EU’s 50 billion euro aid package for Ukraine, vetoed by Hungary in December.
Pro-Russian Robert Fico won Slovakia’s parliamentary elections this fall, repeatedly promising to halt weapons supplies to Ukraine. As Hungary, a key Russian ally in the EU, impedes the Bloc’s aid for Ukraine and resists Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic ambitions, Slovakia’s PM reportedly will not join Hungary in blocking the EU’s aid to Ukraine. Nevertheless, Fico has so far stopped his country’s military support to Ukraine and opposes Ukraine’s NATO accession.
The Ukrainian PM reported it on X/Twitter:
“We have reached agreement with Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico on a number of important issues. The Slovak government will not block the purchase of weapons and equipment by Ukraine from Slovak companies. Slovakia will support the Ukraine Facility programme, which envisages the provision of 50 billion euros by the EU for Ukraine,” Shmyhal said.
In a Facebook post, Shmyhal noted that Fico had assured him of his full support for Ukraine’s European integration aspirations, according to Ukrinform.
“Ukraine and Slovakia will pursue fruitful cooperation for the sake of the security and prosperity of our countries. We are grateful to the Slovak people, who have been helping Ukraine and Ukrainians in these difficult times,” Shmyhal wrote.
