SNS demands Fico impose moratorium on support for Ukraine’s EU membership bid

The Slovak National Party (SNS), a member of Slovakia’s ruling coalition, has demanded that Prime Minister Robert Fico refrain from supporting Ukraine’s European integration at least until the next parliamentary elections. The statement was published by party leader Andrej Danko on Facebook.

The SNS statement expresses “absolute disagreement” with the negotiations between Fico and the Ukrainian president. “The Slovak National Party declares that it does not support Ukraine’s accession to the European Union. The Slovak National Party is convinced that Fico does not have a mandate to speak on behalf of Slovakia about supporting Ukraine’s accession to the European Union,” the text reads.

The nationalists are also insisting on a moratorium on support for Ukraine’s EU membership for the entire term of the current parliament. Danko explicitly warned of the party’s readiness to go “to the limits of political responsibility” if Fico does not provide guarantees: “If Robert Fico does not guarantee that, for the duration of the term of the government of which we are a part, he will never vote for any accession of Ukraine to the European Union.”

The trigger for the SNS statement was a public remark made by Fico the day before. The prime minister wrote on Facebook that Slovakia supports Ukraine’s ambitions to become an EU member — following a phone call with President Volodymyr Zelensky. Fico acknowledged that the two sides have “different views on some issues,” but emphasized a “shared interest in good and friendly relations between Slovakia and Ukraine.”

Fico also confirmed that he will meet with Zelensky on Monday in Yerevan at the European Political Community summit, after which the two sides plan reciprocal visits to Kyiv and Bratislava. This was reported by UNIAN.