President Peter Pellegrini will attend the NATO summit in The Hague, which begins on Tuesday, accompanied by Defence Minister Róbert Kaliňák and Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár (both Smer-SSD). Key topics will include current security challenges and strengthening the defence capabilities of member states.
Pellegrini stated last week that Slovakia will not disrupt unity at the summit and will seek consensus among all 32 member states, advocating for a gradual increase in defence spending and a strong focus on dual-use investments. He emphasized that the specific manner and pace of meeting NATO commitments will remain in the hands of the government in power.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SSD) announced on Monday that Slovakia will not support any increase in spending on weapons systems beyond the 2025 level in its 2026 state budget. He stressed that the state must retain the sovereign right to determine the pace and structure of defence budget increases needed to meet NATO’s 2035 targets.
Fico added that any increase in the 2026 defence budget would be limited to dual-use projects, such as hospitals and road infrastructure. While most NATO member states support a sharp rise in defence spending—up to 5 percent of GDP by 2035—he said Slovakia must decide whether to meet these commitments or seek an alternative approach in the future.
Source: TASR
