Robert Fico criticised over remarks on NATO’s Article 5
Fico said he fears war and vowed Slovakia would not be drawn into conflict because of Article 5 — comments that provoked both allied and domestic backlash.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has come under sharp criticism after telling an audience in Prešov that he fears a broader war and will do everything in his power to keep Slovakia out of any military conflict triggered by NATO’s Article 5.
Addressing medical students at a university hospital last week, Fico said: "I am afraid of war." He warned that the fighting in Ukraine has "gotten out of control" and urged listeners to imagine a scenario in which Slovakia would be asked to put "5,000 or 10,000 soldiers" into action "without us knowing who they would be fighting, why or for what purpose."
On the Article 5 clause of the NATO treaty he told the audience: "I do not want Slovakia to be part of any military conflict because of some Article 5." He added that while Slovakia values its NATO membership and intends to meet its obligations, as prime minister "I will do everything in my power so that Slovakia is never drawn into a military conflict."
Allies and domestic critics respond
Fico’s remarks provoked strong reactions abroad and at home. Czech President Petr Pavel — a former chairman of NATO’s Military Committee — said: "If someone says they are glad to be in NATO but are not prepared to be involved if someone else is attacked, then they have not understood the word solidarity." Fico replied that Pavel, "as a former NATO general," might be inclined to fight, while he personally prioritises peace.
At home, former Slovak foreign minister Miro Vlahovski asked sharply: "Is he not a prime minister? Is he not a leader of a country? Should he not be leading people rather than expressing fear?" Vlahovski told interlocutors that Slovakia’s standing with its allies has already been affected.
Analysts say the comments should be read in a political key ahead of next year’s re-election battle for Fico: observers argue he is trying to attract votes from the hard-right Republika party, which opposes NATO and EU involvement and rejects military support for Ukraine.
Experts stress what Article 5 actually entails. Oana Lungescu, a senior fellow at the Royal United Services Institute and former NATO spokesperson, said Article 5 is "the most solemn promise one country can make to another," with its principal purpose being deterrence — to convince a potential aggressor they would face the entire alliance, not a single state. She noted activation does not automatically mean every ally must send combat troops; the North Atlantic Council would assess the attack and allies would decide measures they consider appropriate.
Former Slovak defence minister Jaroslav Naď warned that allowing fear to shape policy toward Ukraine plays into Vladimir Putin’s hands. Naď recalled that Slovakia once transferred its fleet of MiG-29 fighters to Ukraine; the government later sought a criminal probe into that transfer, but prosecutors closed the case without bringing charges.
Photo: press material from the event
