Slovakia announces halt of military aid to Ukraine
Slovakia's new populist Prime Minister Robert Fico said Thursday that his government was stopping military aid to Ukraine, in the first Western reversal of the kind, AFP reports.
Fico told MPs that the country would "no longer supply weapons to Ukraine", repeating promises made during his election campaign, but would still supply humanitarian aid to its war-torn neighbour.
"I will support zero military aid to Ukraine... An immediate halt to military operations is the best solution we have for Ukraine. The EU should change from an arms supplier to a peacemaker," he added.
Russia immediately dismissed the impact Slovakia's decision to halt military aid to Ukraine would have on the 20-month-old conflict.
"Slovakia did not have such a big share in the supply of weapons, so it will hardly affect the entire process," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, when asked about Bratislava's decision.
Asked by AFP for a reaction on the decision, the foreign ministry of Ukraine declined to comment.
Bratislava's previous pro-Western government had shown strong support for Ukraine.
The Central European country of 5.4 million people was notably the first NATO nation to deliver fighter jets to its war-torn neighbour.
According to the German-based Kiel Institute, Slovakia had pledged 680 million euros in total government support to Ukraine through July 2023.
