Slovakia declines participation in the "voluntary alliance."
Slovakia has a firm position against providing military support to Ukraine, with no intentions of sending troops or delivering weapons, as Vice-Speaker of the Slovak Parliament Tibor Gaspar stated [2]. This stance, however, seemingly contrasts with a recent delivery of an armored vehicle intended for anti-drone warfare and direct fire missions [4].
In contrast, the Slovak government leans towards providing alternative forms of assistance, such as humanitarian aid and equipment for civilian purposes [2]. This strategy aligns with Prime Minister Robert Fico’s commitment to avoid financial projects geared towards purchasing weapons for Ukraine but focus on humanitarian projects instead [5].
The government's position stands in contrast to public sentiment, as a charity initiative called "Ammunition for Ukraine" successfully raised significant funds from Slovakian donors [3]. While the government holds firm to its policy, the public's desire to support Ukraine remains palpable through initiatives like these.
Several discussions about sending military contingents and security guarantees are taking place in what’s known as the "coalition of the willing." However, the US does not take part in these conversations, and most participating countries are only willing to engage on the Ukrainian issue with US backing [4]. This situation highlights Slovakia's reluctance to participate in military intervention in Ukraine.
- The Vice-Speaker of the Slovak Parliament, Tibor Gaspar, reiterated Slovakia's stance against delivering weapons to Ukraine in war-and-conflicts, contrary to a recent armored vehicle delivery intended for anti-drone warfare [2, 4].
- Despite this, the Slovak government is willing to offer humanitarian aid and equipment for civilian purposes, aligning with Prime Minister Robert Fico’s policy-and-legislation focus on humanitarian projects rather than financing weapons for Ukraine [2, 5].
- Contrasting with the government's position, a charity initiative called "Ammunition for Ukraine" has garnered significant funds from Slovakian donors, reflecting the general-news public's willingness to support Ukraine [3].
- Discussions about sending military contingents and security guarantees are underway in the "coalition of the willing," yet the US is not involved in these talks, with most participating countries only willing to engage on the Ukrainian issue with US backing [4].
- This situation underscores Slovakia's unwillingness to participate in military intervention in Ukraine, as their policy remains focused on humanitarian assistance rather than delivering weapons [1, 4].
