Fico set to oppose new loans for Ukraine at NATO summit

Slovak Prime Minister's stance

Fico opposed NATO plans to allocate large-scale financial and military assistance to Ukraine.

He says next week he will hold a high-level constitutional meeting involving Defense Minister Robert Kaliňák.

The main goal of the talks is to set instructions so that the Slovak delegation goes to the summit in Ankara without a mandate "to involve Slovakia in further military loans or financial contributions."

"You know what could happen? A drone could fly in here, deliberately or accidentally, hit an apartment building, there could be deaths or injuries, and we could have World War III. That is why I am saying on behalf of Slovakia: no support for the war, Slovakia will not pay for Ukraine's military expenses," Fico stressed.

He also added that he cannot prevent other countries that "want to prepare for war."

Expectations from NATO summit

The upcoming NATO summit is scheduled for July 7–8 in Ankara. Leaders are expected to reaffirm their commitment to collective defense and announce billions of dollars in funding for new weapons purchases and expanded production capacity.

In addition, the draft final statement is expected to once again label Russia as a long-term threat and increase investments in air defense systems, drones, and long-range missiles.

Fico's statements on Ukraine

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has taken a critical stance on support for Kyiv and has repeatedly called for an end to hostilities.

At the end of June, he said the war cannot be resolved militarily and can only end through talks. He also outlined what he called the only way to end the war in Ukraine and urged the European Union to focus solely on peace initiatives and diplomatic efforts.

Earlier in June, he also announced plans to discuss compensation with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for weapons previously provided by Slovakia.

Later, reports emerged that Fico wants EU funding for aid to Ukraine due to Slovakia's shortage of financial resources. According to him, money originally planned for domestic needs was redirected to support the neighboring country.