Slovakia PM Fico Makes U-Turn, Backing Ukraine’s EU Membership Bid

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in Yerevan, Armenia, to discuss bilateral cooperation and Slovakia’s support for Ukraine’s integration into the European Union, Zelenskyy said in a statement on May 4.

Following the talks, Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine remains open to constructive dialogue and is fully interested in developing strong relations with Bratislava. The leaders discussed holding a joint intergovernmental commission meeting in the near future to address various spheres of cooperation.

A central topic of the discussions was Ukraine’s ongoing path toward EU membership. According to the Ukrainian president, Slovakia explicitly supports Ukraine’s accession to the European bloc and expressed readiness to provide practical assistance throughout the integration process.

Additionally, Zelenskyy and Fico agreed to organize reciprocal official visits to Kyiv and Bratislava. Both diplomatic teams are currently working to finalize the schedule for these meetings.

“It is important that Slovakia supports Ukraine’s accession to the EU and is ready to help on this path,” Zelenskyy stated, thanking Fico for Bratislava’s backing.

Fico’s cooperative tone on EU integration marks a sharp U-turn from his previous stance. In the past, the Slovak Prime Minister has frequently opposed Kyiv’s EU aspirations, halted state military aid, and maintained hostile rhetoric toward Ukrainian support.

The diplomatic talks in Yerevan take place as Fico prepares to visit Moscow to attend Russia’s May 9 parade. The Slovak Prime Minister had previously sought an alternative flight route through Poland after Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia refused him access to their airspace.

Baltic officials stated their airspace would not be used for travel that facilitates political engagement with Moscow amid the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Despite the regional airspace restrictions, Warsaw confirmed it is currently reviewing Bratislava’s formal request for transit, and Fico intends to proceed with the visit.

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