Ukraine will never join NATO on my watch, says Slovakia PM Fico

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico vowed on Sunday to block Ukraine from joining NATO for as long as he is head of the country’s government.

NATO’s leadership wants Ukraine to join the military alliance after its war with Russia ends in order to deter further aggression from Moscow, but Fico’s declaration highlights the political difficulties that are likely to arise in pursuing that aim.

“As long as I am head of the Slovak government, I will direct the MPs that are under my control as chairman of the [ruling Smer] party never to agree to Ukraine’s joining NATO,” he said on the weekly “O päť minút dvanásť” (5 Minutes to 12) program.

Fico’s comments contrast sharply with the stance of Mark Rutte, NATO’s new secretary-general, who said Thursday that “Ukraine is closer to NATO than ever before, and will continue on this path until you become a member of our alliance.”

Under NATO’s 1949 founding treaty, decisions on enlargement are made “by unanimous agreement,” meaning that Fico’s opposition to Ukraine joining the alliance could indeed block its membership at least until the end of the Slovak leader’s current term in power in 2027. Other Russia-friendly NATO members could also seek to frustrate Ukraine’s membership aspirations.

A similar situation played out after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, when Sweden and Finland applied to join NATO but were blocked by Turkey and Hungary for a year and 10 months. While Turkey objected to the activities of Kurdish activists in Sweden and to restrictions on Western arms exports to Ankara, the reasons for Hungary’s resistance were never made explicit. Stockholm and Helsinki were finally inducted on April 4 this year.

Since winning reelection last fall, Fico has reversed the previous Cabinet’s policy of providing materiel support for Ukraine in its war with invading Russian troops, and has instead promised his government will send “not another bullet” while reaching out to Moscow along with authoritarian PM Viktor Orbán of neighboring Hungary.

Last Thursday, Fico promised to “do everything possible for the renewal of economic and standard relations with Russia.”

Following his Sunday talk show performance, Fico doubled down on that vow, proposing to visit Moscow next May for the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, “as long as I’m invited.”

Speaking at a ceremony to mark the Oct. 6, 1944 arrival of troops from the former Soviet Union at rugged Dukla Pass near Slovakia’s border with Poland, Fico went on to stress that Russian sacrifices had helped liberate Slovakia from Nazi rule.

“Freedom came from the East,” he said, “and absolutely nothing can change this truth.”