Since the beginning of the Ukrainian-Russian conflict, the position of Slovakia’s left-wing
government towards Russia has been ambiguous. Bratislava has accepted the EU sanctions
targeting Russia and the plan for strengthening NATO’s eastern flank. At the same time, however,
Prime Minister Robert Fico’s government has maintained close political relations with
the Kremlin. It has called for the intensification of Slovak-Russian economic relations and has
repeatedly criticised the sanctions, speaking in tandem with Russian propaganda in so doing.
Slovakia’s Prime Minister is hoping that by playing the role of one of the leaders in the EU and
NATO who are most willing to cooperate with Russia, he will gain economic benefits and win
votes in next spring’s upcoming parliamentary elections.
Despite numerous pro-Russian gestures, Slovakia has been limiting the number of areas in
which Moscow could exert pressure on Bratislava. As it strives to become independent of
Russia, Slovakia has ensured possible alternative fuel supplies for itself. Moreover, it has been
gradually replacing Russian-made military equipment with equipment made in the West. The
Slovak government does intend to develop the country’s cooperation with Russia, including
in strategic areas involving supplies and transit of oil and gas, as well as supplies of nuclear
fuel. Nevertheless, it has been making efforts to gain easy access to an alternative source of
supplies in each of these areas. Beset by crises, Russia has ever fewer economic cooperation
opportunities to offer Slovakia, and Slovak businesses operating on the Russian market have
to take into account the growing risk of insolvency of local contractors. To a great extent, therefore,
Slovak-Russian relations have been reduced to rhetorical statements confirming the
desire for closer cooperation, and to visions of joint projects accompanied by an ever shorter
list of feasible cooperation initiatives
