According to a report published by Politico on the 6th of October, Robert Fico, the Slovak prime minister, has declared that he will block Ukraine’s entry into NATO for as long as he is in office. This is in stark contrast to the position of the NATO leadership, who want Ukraine to join the alliance once the war with Russia has ended.
As stipulated in the founding treaty of NATO, all members must agree to admit a new country into NATO. Fico’s opposition may be able to block Ukraine’s entry into NATO until 2027 when his current term ends.
On Slovak TV, Fico stated,
“As long I am the head of the Slovak Government, I will instruct the MPs under my control as the chairman of [ruling Smer] to never agree to Ukraine joining NATO.”
Fico’s statement is in direct opposition to the recent statements made by NATO’s Secretary-General Mark Rutte on 3 October.
“Ukraine has never been closer to NATO and will continue along this path until you join our alliance.”
Fico reversed Slovakia‘s previous policy, which was to provide material support to Ukraine’s war against Russian invasion. He has promised to send “not another shot” to Ukraine, and instead has sought to improve relations between Moscow and Slovakia. This is in line with the approach taken by Hungary’s pro Russian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
Fico’s pledge on 3 October was to “do all that is possible to renew economic and standard relations with Russia”. He reaffirmed this position on 6 October when he proposed to visit Moscow in May next year for the 80th Anniversary of the End of World War II, “as soon as I am invited.”
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