Fico says he was shocked by conversation with Koretsky and refuses to finance Ukraine

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Tuesday that he was shocked by a recent conversation with Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhiy Koretsky and rejected demands from German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to join new financial support for Kyiv.

This was reported by European Pravda, citing Fico’s statements at a press conference in Bratislava.

In his statement to the press, the Slovak prime minister mentioned that the governments of Ukraine and Slovakia held joint consultations several days ago.

“I have no right to disclose behind-the-scenes details and never do so, but I had a private conversation with the Prime Minister of Ukraine, and I was shocked by that conversation. Literally shocked in terms of the war and further developments in the future. I will not say anything more and cannot say anything because I must respect that,” Fico said.

He then moved on to the position of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who wants to involve all EU countries in financing Ukraine next year and beyond.

“On behalf of the government of the Slovak Republic, I inform Mr. Merz from here, from Slovakia: Slovakia will not participate in providing another loan of 70 billion for Ukraine, period. We are done. And what happens next, I don’t know. This is complete nonsense, this whole war is complete nonsense. It is the killing of people that benefits someone. For money, for influence. I reject this,” Fico said.

According to him, if the federal chancellor comes and says he will block the European Union budget if all EU countries do not agree on a new loan for Ukraine, then Slovakia will veto that decision.

“Therefore, I once again publicly declare from here: Slovakia will never support a loan for Ukraine, that is, providing another 70 billion. If someone else wants to do it, please. I cannot stop Germany if it has a lot of money, France and other countries from providing funds to Ukraine — let them provide… I hope I have spoken unequivocally and clearly,” Fico said.

The Slovak prime minister also called “blackmail” the information spread in the media about Merz’s threat to block the next seven-year EU budget.

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš said that an agreement on future financing of Ukraine cannot become a precondition for adopting the next seven-year EU budget.