Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico said Bratislava will not participate in providing Ukraine with a new loan of 70 billion euros. At the same time, he spoke about a recent conversation with Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhiy Koretsky, the content of which, according to the Slovak politician, shocked him.
Fico said this on Tuesday, November 10, at a press conference in Bratislava after a joint meeting of the Slovak and Czech governments. He published the corresponding speech on the social network X.
The Slovak prime minister recalled that on November 5, intergovernmental consultations between Ukraine and Slovakia took place in Lviv. During the visit, he also held a separate conversation with the head of the Ukrainian government, Serhiy Koretsky.
According to Fico, the information about the war and possible developments that he received during the conversation made a strong impression on him.
"I was literally shocked by this conversation," the Slovak prime minister said.
However, Fico refused to disclose the details of the conversation. He explained this by the need to maintain the confidentiality of personal negotiations with his Ukrainian counterpart.
The politician did not specify exactly which information caused such a reaction and whether it concerned the situation at the front, the prospects for a peaceful settlement, or further actions of Ukraine's international partners.
After that, Fico turned to the issue of financial support for Kyiv and the position of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who insists on the participation of all EU states in further financing of Ukraine.
The head of the Slovak government categorically rejected the possibility of his country participating in a new European loan.
"On behalf of the government of the Slovak Republic, I declare to Mr. Merz: Slovakia will not participate in providing another 70 billion euro loan to Ukraine. Period," Fico said.
According to him, Bratislava does not intend to assume additional financial obligations related to the continuation of the war. At the same time, he stressed that he does not intend to prevent individual states from providing funds to Kyiv if they wish.
Fico also said he would not support Germany's attempts to link the approval of the next seven-year EU budget to mandatory participation of all member states in financing Ukraine.
Earlier, Chancellor Friedrich Merz sent a letter to European Council President António Costa demanding a fair distribution of the financial burden among EU states.
According to The Guardian, Berlin allows for blocking the EU's multiannual budget for 2028–2034 if member states do not agree on further support for Ukraine.
Fico called such an approach blackmail and warned that Slovakia could also use its veto right.
He emphasized that when adopting the long-term budget, all EU states have equal rights regardless of the size of their economies and financial contributions to the common budget.
Meanwhile, on November 10, Merz said that aid to Ukraine is a common European responsibility, not the task of individual countries. In his opinion, the relevant obligations should be taken into account when agreeing on the future EU budget.
As reported by European Pravda, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš voiced similar objections to linking Ukrainian financing to the EU budget.
The dispute is related to the need to cover the projected funding gap for Ukraine in 2027, estimated at approximately 70 billion euros.
The EU has previously expressed readiness to provide about 45 billion euros of this sum. The European Commission is considering various mechanisms to raise funds, including additional joint borrowing.
In December 2025, EU leaders agreed on loan support of 90 billion euros for Ukraine. However, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Hungary secured exemptions from servicing the corresponding financing.
The current disagreements concern new financial obligations that have not yet been approved. Fico's position does not mean the cessation of all forms of Slovak assistance to Ukraine.
During the meeting in Lviv on November 5, the two governments discussed humanitarian projects, energy support, transport infrastructure, and preparation for winter. Slovakia also confirmed its readiness to continue cooperation with Ukraine in these areas.
Negotiations regarding further financing of Ukraine will continue at the level of European institutions and EU member governments. There is no final agreement on the new financial mechanism yet.
