The foreign policy agenda of President Peter Pellegrini will this year focus on Europe and the Central European region, security, and modern diplomacy and technologies.
According to the head of state, Europe is the primary line of his foreign policy agenda. Stability in south-eastern Europe is, in his view, a matter of European security interest. "It is also a Slovak interest. A stronger Europe needs a more stable neighbourhood and it needs results, not declarations," Pellegrini noted.
This year, he wants to follow up his visits to Western Balkan countries with practical steps such as building closer connections, bolstering trade, expanding people-to-people contacts and offering credible European prospects for those who choose reform and cooperation.
The President said that Central Europe also matters. He does not see regional formats as a luxury, as they help coordination, prevent misunderstandings and enable faster action in crises. He considers Visegrad cooperation important. "Slovakia will use its upcoming V4 (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia) presidency to host partners here and focus on what we have in common – security, infrastructure, competitiveness and resilience," Pellegrini said.
Pellegrini underlined that Slovakia is part of EU. "In today's turbulent world, it is in Slovakia's interest for the EU to be strong and united, competitive and capable of protecting its interests. To achieve this, it needs unity and strength. It needs capable leaders who can turn these challenges into real policy. It also needs to be able to admit mistakes, see its own weaknesses and fix them," he noted.
He identified security as the second line of foreign policy, based on unity in NATO and the European Union. "Slovakia remains a reliable ally and partner. Credibility is built before a crisis; we must invest, train and modernise," the President said. He added that the European defence industry must be stronger and cohesion among allies must be protected, especially when pressure increases.
NATO faces challenges not only on its borders but also internally within its ranks, Pellegrini pointed out. "We cannot afford to weaken one another. It is unacceptable to replace partnership and dialogue with threats and the language of aggression. Respect, trust and shared values are our forte, our best defence in a rapidly changing security environment," the president underlined.
In his view, strong words should rather be replaced by actions that bolster stability, peace and cooperation worldwide. Distrust, tariff wars and a politics of force towards allies do not build a strong partnership but weaken it. "For Slovakia, the answer is not to step back. The answer is to remain actively engaged in Europe, NATO and the United Nations," Pellegrini said.
Multilateralism is a key interest for Slovakia, he added. The country needs international organisations that function and that people can respect. "The answer is reform, so that existing institutions are stronger, more effective and more credible," the president claimed. He added that political energy and resources should go into improving organisations rather than building parallel international institutions with unclear roles and objectives that may not outlive their founders.
According to Pellegrini, security should not only be military but also part of everyday life for people. "It also means resilience, energy security, supply chains, critical infrastructure and social cohesion,” he said, adding that the digital space must also be safer.
The final line is modern diplomacy and technologies, especially artificial intelligence. The head of state claimed that Slovakia does not want to be merely a user of new technologies. It wants to help shape the credibility of artificial intelligence, improve it for public services, support productivity and protect citizens from manipulation. "Artificial intelligence must not end up in the hands of a few chosen ones who will decide how it is used," Pellegrini stressed.
Source: TASR
