Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová has taken a decisive stance against the Defense Ministry’s proposal to provide additional military aid to Ukraine, which is currently grappling with a Russian invasion. This decision is rooted in the aftermath of Slovakia’s recent parliamentary elections, where parties opposed to extending support to Kiev are engaged in discussions to establish a government, having received a mandate from the head of state. Reports emerging from Denník N have indicated that Oleksiy Danilov, the Secretary of Ukraine’s Security Council, has voiced concerns about the notable presence of Russian agents in Slovakia.

The proposed aid package for Ukraine is believed to encompass ammunition, as per Denník N reports. Slovakia has been steadily supplying various military hardware and equipment to Ukraine since the commencement of the Russian invasion in February, including the provision of the S-300 air defense system and MiG-29 fighter jets. President Čaputová, who appointed Prime Minister Ludovít Ódor’s caretaker government in May, has consistently underscored Ukraine’s dire need for assistance while condemning Russia’s military intervention in the neighboring nation.

Martin Strižinec, a spokesperson for the Slovak president, articulated the government’s standpoint, stating, “All political parties currently involved in government formation unequivocally reject such aid. Providing military equipment under these circumstances would establish an undesirable precedent for political transitions following elections.”

The Smer-Social Democracy (Smer-SD) party, led by former Prime Minister Robert Fico and tasked by Čaputová with the responsibility of forming a cabinet after her party’s electoral victory, has a longstanding history of opposing arms supply to Ukraine. The nationalist Slovak National Party, reportedly in consideration for forming a coalition government with Smer-SD, shares a similar perspective. Another prospective coalition partner, the Voice of Social Democracy (Hlas-SD) party, has argued that Slovakia has already exhausted its capacity to offer military assistance to Ukraine. However, Slovak Defense Minister Martin Sklenár countered this argument, affirming that the Slovak military possesses a substantial arsenal of equipment and weaponry that could be extended to Ukraine.

The Unian news agency has underscored that Ukraine’s prospects of receiving aid from Slovakia now appear dim due to President Čaputová’s opposition. Secretary Danilov of Ukraine’s Security Council has criticized Slovakia for succumbing to Russian influence, reiterating the necessity for the European Union to closely monitor these developments. This divergence in viewpoints within Slovakia’s political landscape highlights the complexities surrounding international aid and the interplay of geopolitical factors in a region dealing with a crisis of significant proportions.

Article by Prague Forum