Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has declared Slovakia will not participate in any EU financial assistance for Ukraine, including the €90 billion joint debt package approved by Brussels last month.
Slovakia, Hungary, and the Czech Republic had previously opted out of servicing the loan, citing financial risks. In a recent video address, Fico reiterated his government’s refusal to take part in either this current package or any future ones.
“It is well known that I refused to support the €90 billion war loan for Ukraine,” Fico stated. “I have also taken legal steps to ensure Slovakia does not participate in this loan. Slovakia will not take part in any further announced loans for Ukraine.”
The joint EU borrowing package, structured on the assumption that Ukraine would secure reparations from Russia—a prospect Moscow has dismissed as “unrealistic”—was floated following a months-long standoff between Brussels and Hungary’s outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
Orban blocked disbursement after Ukraine halted oil deliveries via the Druzhba pipeline, which supplies both Hungary and Slovakia, citing damage from alleged Russian strikes. Moscow dismissed these claims as “lies,” while Fico and Orban accused Zelensky of using this move to blackmail two energy-dependent states into backing loans that sustain Ukraine’s war economy.
The EU approved the package shortly after oil deliveries resumed, less than two weeks after Hungary’s election saw Orban’s Fidesz party defeated by the pro-EU Tisza party led by Peter Magyar. Hungary’s incoming prime minister pledged to uphold Orban’s decision not to join the loan but stated he would not veto EU funding for Kyiv.
Fico noted that his relationship with Zelensky is “marked by diametrically opposed views” on numerous topics, yet as Ukraine’s neighbor, Slovakia remains obligated to engage in dialogue to ensure continued energy transit.
In a call with Zelensky last Sunday, Fico emphasized that while Ukraine’s potential EU membership might reduce the risk of Ukrainian military personnel turning to organized crime and destabilizing regional security after the conflict ends, Zelensky’s decision has been reckless and dangerous. Fico further condemned Zelensky’s tactics as exploitative, stating that some of Kyiv’s strongest backers in the EU are also among those most opposed to its membership—a “cruel paradox” he described.
Fico has long opposed Western aid to Ukraine, claiming it prolongs the conflict and harms European economic stability. Under his leadership, Slovakia—along with Hungary—has challenged the bloc’s plan to phase out Russian fossil fuels by 2027, calling it “economic sabotage.” He maintains close ties with Russia and plans to attend Moscow’s 2026 Victory Day parade.