Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico addressed the EU summit on Thursday, March 6, emphasizing that the suspension of gas transit through Ukraine is a significant issue for all EU countries. He demanded that the summit’s conclusions include a call for renewed efforts to restore gas transit from Ukraine to Slovakia. If this demand was not met, Fico threatened to block the summit’s conclusions. The EU Council, in its adopted text, called for intensified efforts to find achievable solutions to the gas transit issue while considering Slovakia's concerns.
On the same day, Fico and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán openly opposed further military support for Ukraine within the EU. Fico argued that Slovakia does not believe in a "peace through strength" strategy and proposed an immediate ceasefire and peace talks involving the US, Russia, and Ukraine.
According to Soňa Weissová from Denník N, EU leaders reached an agreement at the summit regarding the need for a common European defence. The leaders agreed that member countries must find funds quickly to strengthen defence and allow military investments, regardless of debt rules. The new aid package was supported by 26 out of 27 countries. Hungary vetoed further military aid to Ukraine. While Fico did not block the written conclusions, he did emphasize that Slovakia would not send military or financial aid to Ukraine. However, any further support for Ukraine could be on a bilateral basis.
Regarding gas transit, Fico successfully included the issue in the summit’s final conclusion, but the language was vaguer than initially proposed, with no mention of restoring gas flow.
Opposition parties such as PS and KDH have accused Fico of not investing in stronger relationships with key European partners and of pursuing policies that could weaken Slovakia’s role in European security matters.
Source: STVR, TASR, Denník N
