Slovakia: NATO Summit Will Not Oblige Members to Provide Financial Aid to Ukraine

Moscow (ANTARA) - Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico has stated that the final document of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Summit in Ankara will not mandate member states to provide financial assistance to Ukraine.

Fico, on Sunday (5/7), said he had received a written response from NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, which confirmed that the declaration to be adopted at the Ankara Summit on 7-8 July does not require NATO member states to make funding decisions for the benefit of Ukraine.

“I have received a written response from the NATO Secretary-General, which clearly states that the declaration to be adopted in Ankara will not require NATO member states to make any financial decisions for the benefit of Ukraine,” Fico told reporters.

Fico reminded that he had previously informed Rutte that Slovakia is unwilling to be involved in any funding schemes aimed at supporting military aid for Ukraine.

According to him, Slovakia will not bear the military costs for Ukraine. However, Bratislava remains willing to provide humanitarian aid to the country.

“We are a nation that understands there is a situation requiring assistance, but not in the form of weapons or support for war,” he said.

Meanwhile, Russia has repeatedly stated that Western arms supplies to Ukraine will only hinder the resolution of the conflict and involve NATO countries directly in the war.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov previously stated that any shipment containing weaponry for Ukraine would become a legitimate target for Russia.