Slovakia doesn't want war 'because of some Article 5,' Prime Minister Fico says
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Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on Sept. 17 raised concerns about a potential conflict between Russia and NATO while casting doubt on his country's commitment to the alliance's collective defense principle.
Speaking before his visit to Ukraine, the Slovak leader said that the Russia-Ukraine war is "out of control," and that the risk of a Europe-wide conflict has never been as serious as it is now.
Fico, Slovakia's Kremlin-friendly, populist leader, has been among the loudest critics of Europe's military support for Ukraine and one of the few NATO heads of government to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow during the all-out war.
"I don't want Slovakia to be part of an armed conflict because of some Article 5," Fico said in the Slovak city of Presov, referring to the North Atlantic Treaty's clause that says an attack against one member is an attack against the entire alliance.
Article 5 requires all NATO member states to assist the attacked ally in a manner they deem appropriate, which may include an armed response.
"Yes, we are in NATO; we value that, and cooperation and commitments matter to us, but as the head of government, I will do everything I can to prevent Slovakia from being dragged into an armed conflict."
The Slovak leader also accused European capitals of warmongering and claimed there are attempts to find "an excuse for a major conflict between NATO and Russia." The comments follow a series of suspected Russian hybrid attacks across European countries and increasingly frequent Russian strikes near Ukraine's borders with NATO members.
Fico, as well as Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and other European leaders, are set to travel to Ukraine to meet top officials on Sept. 18.
Ukraine is hosting the inaugural Carpathian 8 Summit, a regional cooperation forum bringing together Ukraine, Poland, Slovakia, Czechia, Hungary, Romania, Austria, and Serbia. The summit is set to take place in Ukraine's western Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast between Sept. 18 and 20.
