**Slovak Opposition to Challenge PM Fico Over Pro-Russian Stance**
The opposition parties in Slovakia have announced plans to hold a vote of no confidence against Prime Minister Robert Fico’s government. The move is aimed at challenging the prime minister’s pro-Russian policies and what critics say are his failures on domestic issues.
The opposition, which includes Progressive Slovakia, Freedom and Solidarity, and others, accuses Fico of undermining Slovakia’s pro-European stance and failing to address pressing national issues such as healthcare, rising prices, and administrative inefficiencies. They also criticize him for prioritizing ties with autocratic regimes over Western alliances.
Opposition leader Michal Simecka of Progressive Slovakia accused Fico of steering Slovakia towards pro-Russian policies, citing the prime minister’s recent visit to Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin. Protests have erupted in Slovakia’s capital, with thousands chanting pro-EU slogans and condemning Fico’s policies.
**Slovakia’s Relations with Ukraine Deteriorate**
The opposition has also criticized Fico for deteriorating relations between Slovakia and Ukraine. After Kyiv allowed a pre-war Russian gas transit deal to expire on December 31, 2024, Fico threatened to reduce aid to Ukrainian refugees and cut electricity exports to Ukraine.
This move is seen as a reversal of Slovakia’s previous policy of supporting Ukraine, with the country having delivered military aid and fighter jets before Fico took power. The opposition has vowed to use the no-confidence vote to challenge Fico’s policies and leadership.
**Global Developments**
In other news, Seoul plans to hold consultations with Kyiv regarding the transfer of captured North Korean soldiers if they request defection. Germany is still discussing a proposed 3 billion euros aid package for Ukraine. Metinvest, Ukraine’s largest steel producer, has suspended operations at the Pokrovsk coking coal mine in Donetsk Oblast due to worsening security conditions and power outages.
**Ukraine Focuses on Equipping Military**
President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine’s immediate focus is on adequately equipping its military, rather than further reducing the draft age. The Ukrainian Air Force will transfer military personnel “en masse” to reinforce the Ground Forces’ combat brigades in early 2025.
**NATO and Russia Tensions**
The summit welcomed NATO’s “Baltic Sentry” mission aimed at monitoring, deterring, and responding to potential threats. Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) counterintelligence officer Vladimir Feshchenko was found dead in a Russian Defense Ministry building in Moscow.
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