Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) traveled to Brussels for an extraordinary EU summit called by European Council President António Costa. The summit will focus on continued assistance to Ukraine and the future of European defense. Costa emphasized that this moment is critical for both Ukraine and European security. Discussions were prompted by U.S. President Donald Trump's call for European countries to increase defense spending and his negotiations with Russia to end the invasion of Ukraine.
Ahead of the summit, Fico confirmed that Slovakia would not block any conclusions related to resuming gas transit through Ukraine if such a statement was included in the summit's final agreement. He stressed that the wording still needed to be fine-tuned, but Slovakia’s support would be conditional on it being phrased in a way that is acceptable to the country. Fico also pointed out the economic necessity of restoring the gas transit, as it would help maintain European economic competitiveness.
Fico also responded to criticism of Slovakia’s absence from past EU meetings on defense and the war in Ukraine. He rejected participation in discussions that focused on prolonging the war or nuclear deterrence, such as the upcoming meeting in Paris. Fico also expressed strong opposition to any immediate fundraising campaign for Ukraine, which could require Slovakia to contribute significant amounts, especially given the country's own financial difficulties.
Slovak President Peter Pellegrini supported Fico’s position on gas transit, noting that the Prime Minister was defending Slovakia's national interests. Czech and Austrian leaders also agreed that if no consensus was reached, a coalition of willing states could be formed to continue working toward a solution. The leaders emphasized that the EU needs to strengthen its own capabilities and should not rely solely on the U.S. Pellegrini also saw the suspension of U.S. military aid to Ukraine as part of a larger negotiation, underscoring that the future of EU security guarantees will depend on how peace talks evolve.
Source: TASR
