Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has sparked a domestic and international scandal after he stated that he will “in no case” send troops in the event of a direct armed conflict between NATO and Russia. Fico added that he will not contribute troops even if a member of the Alliance were attacked and activated Article 5 of the NATO treaty, report TASR, AFP, and EFE agencies on Monday.
Fico, known for his pro-Moscow stance, has accused Europe of resorting to an escalating warlike rhetoric, which would aim to provoke a war with Russia.
“The situation has never been as serious and tense as it is now regarding the possibility of a pan-European military conflict,” Fico said in a speech delivered last week to Slovak students at the opening of the academic year.
Fico: I believe we will witness major military operations on Ukrainian territory
“Yes, we are part of NATO, we appreciate this and we are committed to cooperation and fulfilling our obligations. However, as Prime Minister, I will do everything I can to ensure that Slovakia will never be drawn into an armed conflict.“
What is happening today in Europe, what we hear and see, is that the armed conflict in Ukraine has spiraled out of control. All the rules governing military operations have been abandoned, and civilian infrastructure is under attack.
“I believe we will witness major military operations on Ukrainian territory. But what worries me most is how strong military rhetoric has become in Europe. It seems that arms manufacturers will be the winners of the EU budget for the period 2028-2034. Not the citizens, but the arms manufacturing companies,” added the Slovak Prime Minister.
Fico: My government will not send soldiers to fight against Russia
“Under my government’s leadership, no one will send Slovak soldiers to fight against Russia under a false pretext,” the Slovak prime minister promised.
After the departure from power of his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban, Fico remains the only European leader who maintains close relations with Moscow, recall international press agencies.
President of the Czech Republic: Extremely Serious Allegations
In turn, the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, a general who was the chairman of the NATO Military Committee, described Robert Fico’s statements as “extremely serious”.
“This is a message of extreme seriousness that we must take very seriously (…) Article 5 is, unequivocally, an expression of solidarity and mutual responsibility“, indicated the Czech president.
“If someone claims they are glad to be a member of NATO, thus that NATO protects them, but says they are not willing to intervene if another member is attacked, then they have not understood what solidarity means,” added Petr Pavel.
Details, HERE