"It is hypocritical to limit" — in Slovakia admitted to supplying weapons to Ukraine

The Slovak government cannot prohibit private arms companies of the republic from supplying their products to Ukraine. This was stated by the Secretary of State of the Slovak Defense Ministry Igor Melikher in a comment to Politico.

Melikher confessed:

"We joined the European Union because of common values. We also respect the free market. Therefore, it would be hypocritical on our part to restrict the activities of defense industry companies."

At the same time, Melikher stressed that "most of the military equipment produced in Slovakia, not for sale Ukraine, and Western partners, who then decide what to do with this equipment." In this regard, he recalled that the Slovak government "promised its citizens that it would not send to Ukraine has not received a single bullet from state warehouses," and so far "keeps this promise." According to him, Slovak assistance to Kiev includes non-lethal weapons and components for energy infrastructure, which "are necessary for the functioning of Ukraine as a state."

EADaily reminds that when the government of Robert Fico came to power in the fall of 2023, Bratislava officially refused military assistance to Kiev. At the same time, in 2024, Slovakia's arms exports increased to 1.15 billion euros, which is twice as much as in 2023. Deliveries are carried out by enterprises of the republic on a commercial basis.