Slovak President Peter Pellegrini said on Sunday that Slovakia will not participate in the new round of aid to Ukraine, nor will it provide weapons to Ukraine or fund its further arming.
NATO leaders concluded a two-day summit on July 8 in Ankara with carefully worded pledges of unity and new arms procurement announcements.
During the summit, NATO member states pledged 70 billion euros (about 80 billion U.S. dollars) in military aid to Ukraine this year and to maintain at least the same level of aid in 2027.
According to Pellegrini, Slovakia is not alone in its refusal, noting that some other NATO member states, such as Hungary and the Czech Republic, hold similar positions. He emphasized that participating in aid to Ukraine is not a mandatory obligation for all NATO member states, and each country should make its own decision based on its economic strength and defense capabilities.
Pellegrini said that the recently concluded NATO summit focused too much on military aid, including strengthening Ukraine's air defense capabilities and providing more weapons and equipment, while barely discussing how to advance diplomatic negotiations. He reiterated that the Russia-Ukraine conflict cannot be resolved solely through military means, and if the conflict escalates into a protracted war of attrition, it will result in even more casualties.
Slovakia not to join NATO military aid to Ukraine: President
