Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has said he does not want to see his country dragged into war over NATO's Article 5 mutual defense clause, raising fresh questions about the populist leader’s commitment to the alliance. But as prime minister, I will do everything in my power to ensure that Slovakia is never drawn into a military conflict.” “The situation has never been as serious and tense as it is now, in terms of the possibility of a pan-European military conflict,” he added. Under NATO’s Article 5, an armed attack against one ally is seen as an attack against all 32 members.
If that ally requests or consents to a collective response, others must come to its defense, triggering a political process that can end with military action. Article 5 has only been activated once, after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks in the U.S. The comments underscore growing anxiety in Europe as tensions with Russia soar amid an escalating campaign of sabotage attempts, airspace violations and cyberattacks across the continent.
Fico, seen as one of Europe’s most Kremlin-friendly leaders, has also long argued that Western countries’ approach to Russia and continued support for Ukraine risks war with Moscow. Who?” Fico told students at a university hospital in a ceremony marking the start of the academic year. And we will not even know with whom, why and for what.” Fico is set to join leaders including Poland’s Donald Tusk and representatives from Austria, the Czech Republic, Romania, Serbia and Hungary in western Ukraine on Friday for a regional economic summit dubbed the Carpathian Integration Initiative.
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