Slovakia to adjust defence cooperation agreement with US

This was reported by Aktuality.

After talks with US Ambassador to Slovakia Gautam Rana, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of Slovakia Robert Kaliniak said that Slovakia would not send new batches of ammunition from its warehouses to Ukraine.

"We had a wide-ranging discussion with US Ambassador Rana about security challenges and issues of common interest to both countries. The meeting showed us that we respect each other's opinions and can listen to and consider the other side's demands without prejudice. We are grateful for a constructive conversation and cooperation, but only mutually beneficial," Kaliniak said.

At the meeting, he said that the Slovak government values good relations with Western partners, but the current government is not like "previous slave governments".

"Among the biggest failures, unfortunately, is the formulated agreement on defence cooperation and the punitive distribution of military equipment and ammunition, which are absolutely essential for Slovakia," the defence minister commented.

Kaliniak believes that good relations with partners, membership in international organisations, and commitments to them are important for a country like Slovakia. He added that effective cooperation not only ensures Slovakia's defence capability, but also opens up new opportunities for economic growth.

• Following the parliamentary elections held on 30 September, the pro-Russian Smer party, led by Fico, won in Slovakia and formed a coalition with the centre-left HLAS party and the nationalist SNS.
• At the EU leaders' summit, representatives of the countries will try to convince the prime ministers of Hungary and Slovakia to update the budget to support Ukraine in 2024.