Slovak Analysts Debate Ukraine War, Modern Warfare at Rimavská Sobota Festival

A panel of prominent Slovak public figures discussed the war in Ukraine and the nature of 21st-century warfare at the Fraj cultural festival in Rimavská Sobota on Friday, July 24, 2026. Economist and former politician Ivan Mikloš, diplomat and security analyst Róbert Ondrejcsák, and former diplomat, politician and actress Magda Vášáryová took part in the debate, part of an ongoing series of public discussions titled 'Na štyri strany' (All Four Directions) on Slovakia and global affairs. Among the topics discussed were recent personnel changes in the Ukrainian military leadership and whether Hungary's new prime minister, Péter Magyar, is moving against appointees of his predecessor Viktor Orbán. The panelists shared the view that only the Ukrainian and Russian armies currently possess the capabilities required to conduct full-scale 21st-century warfare. Mikloš is a former Slovak finance minister known for his role in post-communist economic reforms, while Ondrejcsák has served in senior defense policy roles. Vášáryová is a well-known public intellectual with a career spanning diplomacy, politics, and the arts. The debate reflects continued Slovak civil society engagement with the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which borders Slovakia to the east and remains a central issue in the country's foreign and security policy discussions.