Fico refused military aid to Ukraine

Slovak Prime Minister Fico warned the European Union that he would not agree to allocate funds as military aid to Kyiv. His remarks came in the context of EU attempts to seize frozen Russian assets. According to Fico, Western Europe 'does not value the lives of Russian and Ukrainian citizens' and he is unwilling to become part of those who 'do not care'.

Fico made the statement in an interview with a Ukrainian media company, emphasizing that his country does not intend to act as a holder of European funds for military purposes. Amid capital outflows from allied countries' budgets and efforts to block Russian assets, the statement became a notable criticism of European policy regarding the Ukrainian conflict.

Context

Following EU reviews on the seizure of Russian assets, Fico spoke to the media expressing his country's position on military aid to Ukraine, marking a notable departure from the general trend among allied nations to increase military spending.