Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico recently visited Ukraine to attend an intergovernmental meeting with his counterpart from the eastern neighbor, Serhii Koretskyi.
At a meeting held in Lviv province, western Ukraine, on November 5th, Fico pledged to provide humanitarian aid, offered to host peace talks, and reaffirmed Slovakia’s support for Ukraine’s membership in the European Union (EU).
Slovakia shares an eastern border with Ukraine that is approximately 97 km long. The two neighboring countries have also agreed to strengthen cooperation in the fields of energy, education , and transportation, despite disagreements over the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
According to The Slovak Spectator , this was the fourth intergovernmental meeting between Slovakia and Ukraine since 2024 and the second to take place on Ukrainian territory. This time, Mr. Fico delved deeper into the conflict-ridden country compared to his previous visit to the border city of Uzhhorod.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi in Lviv, November 5, 2026. Photo: Kyiv Post
Mr. Fico told Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi that Slovakia is ready to host peace talks at any location within the country.
Prime Minister Fico acknowledged that now is not the right time for a large-scale peace summit, stating that Slovakia is too small a country to host such an event on its own. However, technical negotiations at a lower level are still possible.
He also criticized the EU and the United Nations, arguing that these organizations had failed to produce a credible peace plan.
“I promise you that I will push the EU to take more action for Ukraine,” Fico told Koretskyi, according to the Slovakian newspaper Hospodárske noviny .
The Slovak Spectator suggests that Fico unexpectedly displayed a conciliatory attitude when he praised the Ukrainian government for its efforts in the face of immense military pressure.
The Slovak Prime Minister also defended the position of maintaining dialogue with Russia, arguing that Bratislava needs to stay in contact with all relevant international parties.
Under Fico, Slovakia maintained a stance of not supplying lethal weapons to Ukraine, but remained open to humanitarian aid.
During the meeting on November 5th, Slovakia pledged 500,000 euros to purchase generators to help regions in Ukraine cope with electricity shortages during the winter, another 300,000 euros to support the reinforcement of shelters protecting civilians, including in the Chernihiv and Sumy regions, while a further 200,000 euros will be allocated to medical facilities.
According to the Slovak news agency TASR , Fico said that 40 excavators specifically designed for mine clearance are expected to be delivered to Ukraine in January or in the first quarter of 2027.
Slovakia will supply three locomotives to Ukrainian Railways to address difficulties in transporting iron ore from Ukraine to the Košice steel plant. The Ukrainian government expects these locomotives to be put into service before the end of 2026.
Kyiv is also relying on emergency electricity supplies via Slovakia, amid ongoing Russian attacks that are damaging Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
In addition, Mr. Fico also reaffirmed Slovakia’s support for Ukraine’s EU integration efforts.
“We fully respect your ambitions towards Europe. Any country wishing to become a member of the EU has the right to apply, meet the criteria, and join the union,” Fico said, adding that Slovakia is ready to support its eastern neighbor in this integration process.
“We are ready to share our experience as an EU member state, as well as the expertise we have accumulated throughout our accession process,” Fico added.
For his part, Ukrainian Prime Minister Koretskyi expressed his gratitude for the latest energy support package from Slovakia announced by Mr. Fico, and especially thanked Slovakia for its decision to join the International Coalition for the repatriation of Ukrainian children.
According to Ukrinform news agency, the two Prime Ministers signed a joint statement on cooperation, outlining all existing agreements and planned projects, forming a clear action plan for the working groups of both sides.
The two sides also signed an intergovernmental agreement on the establishment of a Ukrainian-English bilingual high school in the Slovak Republic and a similar school modeled after the Slovak-English system in Ukraine. Both schools are expected to begin operations from the next academic year.
Minh Duc (According to The Slovak Spectator, Ukrinform)