New Slovak Government Rejects Final Military Aid Package for Ukraine

(Reuters) – Slovakia’s new government rejected on Wednesday a previously drafted plan to donate rockets and ammunition to Ukraine, following through on a pledge by incoming Prime Minister Robert Fico to halt military aid to Kyiv as it fights a Russian invasion.

The aid package included 140 KUB air defence system rockets, more than 5,000 pieces of 125 mm cannon ammunition and 4 million rounds of small arms ammunition, according to the deal that had been put forward by the NATO country’s caretaker government before it handed over power last month.

Fico’s government rejected the package at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, according to the government’s website.

Fico ran a campaign criticising Western military support for Ukraine and sanctions on Russia, and backs pushing for peace talks, a line similar to Hungary’s leader Viktor Orban but rejected by Kyiv.

Fico’s leftist SMER-SSD party won a Sept. 30 election and has formed a ruling coalition with the centre-left HLAS and nationalist SNS parties.

Fico has said repeatedly the country would halt shipments from army stores to Ukraine, but he has recently made clear private business deals would not be affected.

The country had been a staunch backer of Ukraine, and a previous centre-right government supplied military equipment including fighting vehicles as well as an S-300 air defence system and MiG-29 jets.

Slovakia, which shares a border with Ukraine in its east, had sent military aid in 13 packages and worth 671 million euros to Kyiv since Russia’s attack in February 2022 before Fico’s appointment.

Diplomats have said army stocks have been largely depleted so a halt in official military aid may have limited impact.

(Reporting by Jason Hovet in Prague; Editing by Alex Richardson)

Copyright 2023 Thomson Reuters.