Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has expressed opposition to Ukraine joining NATO, warning that it would guarantee a third world war. Fico made the statement in response to a draft of the NATO annual summit’s final communique which reportedly includes references to Ukraine’s “irreversible path” towards joining the US-led bloc. In his video message, Fico said he understands Ukraine’s wishes but that its membership in NATO guarantees World War Three.
Fico has instructed Slovakia’s representatives in Washington to insist on two conditions for Ukrainian membership: Kiev must meet every condition set by the bloc, and every member state has to give its blessing. However, as he stated many times before, his ruling party Smer and its lawmakers in the National Assembly of Slovakia will not agree to Ukraine’s membership in NATO.
Last year, Fico campaigned on a platform of opposing Ukrainian membership in NATO and further Slovak military support to Kiev. He won the election in a landslide. In mid-May, a liberal activist reportedly upset with Bratislava’s new policy shot Fico several times and almost killed him. The prime minister underwent a series of surgeries and spent weeks recovering from the assassination attempt, returning to work in person just last week.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto also told reporters in Washington that Ukraine’s membership in NATO is “clearly out of the question,” as it would “foreshadow direct conflict between Russia and NATO.” The US-led bloc is expected to pledge at least €40 billion ($43.3 billion) in military aid to Ukraine over the next year and endorse its “full Euro-Atlantic integration,” but an invitation to NATO would only be extended “when allies agree and conditions are met,” according to a draft seen by Reuters. The same language was used at last year’s summit in Lithuania.