Written by Thomas Brooke via Remix News,
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has declared his intention to oppose any European Union initiatives that finance Ukraine’s military operations, accusing Western Europe of devaluing the lives of Russians and Ukrainians and perpetuating unnecessary bloodshed.
In a post on X, Fico revealed he had a nearly hour-long phone call with European Council President António Costa regarding EU funding for Ukraine.
“While he spoke about money for the war in Ukraine, I kept repeating the senseless daily killing of hundreds to thousands of Russians and Ukrainians,” Fico stated.
“If for Western Europe the life of a Russian or a Ukrainian is worth shit, I do not want to be part of such a Western Europe.”
Fico informed Costa that Slovakia would not endorse any measures that lead to EU financing of Ukraine’s military expenses, no matter how long negotiations take. “I told A. Costa that I will not support anything, even if we have to sit in Brussels until the New Year, which would lead to support for Ukraine’s military expenditures,” he wrote.
This statement was accompanied by a formal letter sent by Fico to Costa and all EU prime ministers ahead of the upcoming European Council meeting, where the European Commission’s proposals for Ukraine’s financial needs for 2026 and 2027, including the potential use of frozen Russian assets, are set to be discussed.
In the letter, Fico asserted that Slovakia would not support any solution involving funding Ukraine’s military costs.
“At the upcoming European Council, I am not in the position to support any solution to Ukraine’s financial needs that would include covering Ukraine’s military expenses for the coming years,” he wrote.
Fico contended that there is no military resolution to the conflict, claiming that ongoing arms financing is extending the war.
“The policy of peace that I consistently advocate prevents me from voting in favor of prolonging military conflict, because providing tens of billions of euros for military spending is prolonging the war,” he emphasized.
He cautioned against using frozen Russian assets for military purposes, arguing it could jeopardize peace efforts, including those led by the United States, which he noted envisioned using such assets for Ukraine’s postwar reconstruction. He recalled expressing these concerns at an informal EU meeting in Angola and highlighted the risks of corruption in Ukraine.
While opposing EU-funded military support, Fico affirmed that Slovakia would continue to aid Ukraine in non-military capacities. He mentioned humanitarian assistance, electricity supplies, gas deliveries through reverse flow, infrastructure projects, and support for nearly 200,000 Ukrainian refugees residing in Slovakia. He reiterated Slovakia’s backing for Ukraine’s EU accession, although he acknowledged growing reservations among some member states regarding early membership.
Fico stated that his stance is definitive and will not waver under pressure or extended negotiations. “I cannot, and will not under any pressure, endorse any solution to support Ukraine’s military expenditures in which the Slovak Republic would participate,” he wrote, while also respecting the right of other EU member states to pursue different strategies voluntarily.
The European Council has not publicly responded to Fico’s statements.
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