EU leaders are set to meet in Brussels on March 6 for an extraordinary summit on Ukraine.
Fico said he could veto “that part of the summit conclusions regarding further financial and military aid for Ukraine,” which he believes is aimed at “continuing the war.”
However, he indicated he might back down if the EU supports Slovakia’s proposal on restoring Ukrainian gas transit.
Fico criticized what he sees as a prevailing pro-war sentiment among most EU members and disputed the notion that Ukraine is also fighting for Slovakia.
In his view, Ukraine harmed his country by “taking steps that led to higher gas prices,” and he called for an “immediate ceasefire” in Ukraine, not merely as part of a broader peace agreement.
Slovakia’s prime minister rejected calls to further arm Ukraine, claiming such a strategy “has not worked so far,” adding that his country “will not participate.”
He clarified that Slovakia has no objection to boosting the EU’s defense capabilities but believes these should be paired with looser budget rules and the ability to fund dual-use civilian-military projects.
(jh)
Source: IAR, PAP