EU state blasts bloc’s Ukraine-first agenda
The European Union’s constant focus on Ukraine is masking its inability to confront the bloc’s “fundamental” problems, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said in a post on X.
At the European Council (EC) summit next week, EU leaders are expected to focus on defense spending, military cooperation, and continued support for Kiev.
On Wednesday, Fico said he was “more and more convinced” that by “constantly discussing Ukraine, we in the EU are covering up our inability to deal with our most fundamental challenges and problems” and noted he had raised the issue with EC President Antonio Costa.
“I am not interested in dealing with new sanctions packages against Russia until I see, in the conclusions of the EC summit, political instructions for the European Commission on how to address the crisis in the automotive industry and the high energy prices that are making the European economy completely uncompetitive,” the Slovakian leader said.
He added that Bratislava will submit more concrete proposals to the summit concerning the automotive sector and energy prices than those currently contained in draft conclusions.
“I refuse to let such serious issues be handled in the EC conclusions with general phrases, while detailed decisions and positions are devoted to aid for Ukraine and support for the war,” he stressed.
Slovakia’s economy is deeply tied to car manufacturing, a sector facing pressure from EU green policies and global competition. While Brussels has called for a full phase-out of Russian energy imports by 2027, Slovakia remains heavily dependent on Russian gas and crude under long-term contracts.
Most EU member states insist that Western aid to Ukraine should continue and support rapid military buildup, citing the so-called ‘Russian threat.’ The Kremlin has rejected these claims as “nonsense” and accused Western governments of using them to justify increasing military spending.
Unlike many EU nations, Slovakia has refused to supply weapons to Ukraine, warned against its membership in NATO, and repeatedly voiced opposition to EU sanctions on Russia.
