Sutaj Estok: No Obligation on Us to Provide Military Aid from Summit Conclusions

Bratislava, March 7 (TASR) - Voice-SD leader and Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok told a news conference on Friday that he is glad that the conclusions of the extraordinary EU summit showed unity in that they were supported by at least 26 member states. Sutaj Estok will ask Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) about the course of the summit. According to him, its conclusions don't imply any obligation for Slovakia to commit itself to financial or military aid for Ukraine. "I realise that it's always about 'some kind of art of the possible', but I will ask the premier to explain to us what the course of the summit was so that we too can understand how it went and why the conclusions are ultimately, I would say, applied in some easier way," said Sutaj Estok. "If I read them correctly, there are no commitments stemming from them for Slovakia that would oblige us to provide any financial or military assistance to Ukraine, and the assistance is explicitly based on bilateral agreements between Ukraine and individual member states," stated Sutaj Estok. According to Sutaj Estok, the governing coalition is against the continuation of military aid. "We're absolutely ready to provide humanitarian aid, but the goal of Slovak diplomacy is to appeal to the European Union, Ukraine, Russia and the USA to organise a ceasefire and peace negotiations as soon as possible," said the Voice-SD leader. Leaders of all 27 EU countries at the extraordinary summit in Brussels on Thursday (March 6) agreed in the final text to strengthen the bloc's defences. Hungarian Premier Viktor Orban vetoed conclusions that concerned the provision of military aid to Ukraine. The draft declaration, supported by the remaining 26 EU countries, including Slovakia, confirms the EU's stance to date on the war in Ukraine, and emphasises the need for a just and lasting peace and the bloc's commitment to continue to help Kiev in all forms, including via military support. ko/df