Slovakia’s policy of supporting Ukraine in the face of Russian military aggression

Abstract

The forms and political significance of Slovakia’s support for Ukraine in the context of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation in February 2022 are analyzed, and attention was paid to the role of key Slovak political actors in international support for Ukraine. International and national regulations that determine the policy of Slovakia regarding Russia’s military aggression are considered. It is shown that military, humanitarian, economic assistance to Slovakia, support in granting Ukraine the status of a candidate for EU membership, as well as in strengthening sanctions against the Russian Federation, indicate that Ukraine has a reliable ally. In a broader context, Slovakia’s assistance is seen as a manifestation of the consolidated struggle of European states to preserve democratic values, comply with international law, and build a new system of collective security in the face of open aggression.
The specific manifestations and political context of the provision of military assistance to Ukraine are determined. The positions of Slovak parties and their leaders regarding the prospects of military support are analyzed. After the parliamentary elections in Slovakia in 2023 and the formation of a government around the populist SMER-SD, Ukrainian-Slovak relations have become less predictable. In fact, Slovakia is following the path of V. Orbán’s government in Hungary, which makes it possible to model probable risks. Under such circumstances, the provision of military assistance to Ukraine is being curtailed, and there are prerequisites for complicating the progress towards membership in the EU and NATO. It is summarized that the radicalism of R. Fico may decrease somewhat against the background of the EU’s consolidated decision to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia and recognize the latter as a sponsor of terrorism, as well as the need to reach compromises with coalition partners and pursue a coordinated policy within NATO. The creation of a minimally winning coalition in the future may lead to the unstable functioning of the government itself, which gives chances for the repositioning of political forces.