Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has warned that Europe is moving dangerously close to a direct clash between NATO and Russia, accusing the West of seeking a “pretext” for major conflict. In a Facebook post on Thursday ahead of his travel to Ukraine for talks with President Zelenskiy, Fico stated: “I am deeply concerned that they are merely looking for a pretext for a major conflict between NATO and Russia.”

Reflecting on the Ukraine conflict, Fico described hostilities as having “gotten out of control,” while criticizing European nations for increasingly bellicose rhetoric. “The situation has never been as serious and tense regarding the possibility of a pan-European war conflict as it is now,” he said.

Fico also warned that Slovakia could face pressure from NATO to deploy troops if Article 5 were invoked, adding: “Can anyone imagine being told to prepare 5,000 soldiers, 10,000 soldiers, and that they would go somewhere to fight? We don’t know with whom, why, or for what reason.”

“I don’t want Slovakia to be part of any military conflict because of some Article 5,” he stressed. “As prime minister, I will do everything to ensure that Slovakia is never drawn into a war.”

Fico has consistently opposed military support for Ukraine since returning to office in 2023 while halting government weapons shipments to Kiev. He has also opposed Kiev’s accession to NATO and insisted that Ukraine’s EU membership requires meeting all requirements.