The paper highlighted Romania, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Bulgaria as key examples of nations witnessing surging discontent over military aid to Kyiv.
Romania, which shares a 600-km border with Ukraine, recently annulled an election after pro-Russian candidate Calin Georgescu dominated the first round. Citing Le Monde, former NATO deputy secretary-general Mircea Geoană stressed Romania’s strategic importance for arms deliveries to Ukraine, alongside Poland, noting “not all transports can go through Poland.”
In Slovakia, Prime Minister Robert Fico has openly criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for halting Russian gas transit via Ukrainian pipelines. Fico’s stance signals a potential shift in Bratislava’s previously solid support for Kyiv.
The Czech Republic, a staunch ally of Ukraine, faces parliamentary elections this autumn. Polls suggest ex-Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, who has vowed to reduce aid to Kyiv, may return to power. In Bulgaria—racked by three years of political turmoil—longtime leader Boyko Borisov recently blocked an EU-backed security cooperation deal with Ukraine, raising further concerns over Sofia’s shifting position.
“Conditions will complicate EU integration”
Pavlo Klimkin, Ukraine’s foreign minister from 2014 to 2019, acknowledged these countries might not end military or diplomatic support outright but could impose new conditions that slow Ukraine’s European integration. Katarina Kringova of the GLOBSEC think-tank noted that, while most citizens in Central and Eastern Europe still regard Russia as a top security threat, “that perception is changing.”
Ukraine relies heavily on neighbors for arms shipments, training facilities, and transit routes, prompting worries that any erosion in regional support may compromise its efforts to defend against Russia’s ongoing aggression.
(jh)
Source: PAP