Fico Reverses Course on Ukraine at EU Summit After Two Previous Rejections

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has reversed his position and agreed to support EU summit conclusions on Ukraine, after twice blocking them in previous meetings. The shift comes notably in the absence of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who has similarly opposed EU support for Ukraine and with whom Fico has often aligned on the issue. Fico is also set to meet Péter Magyar, the new Hungarian prime minister, as well as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the summit. Fico, leader of the left-nationalist Smer-SD party, has been a prominent critic of Western military support for Ukraine since returning to power in 2023, frequently clashing with EU partners over the bloc's approach to the war. His earlier refusals to endorse joint EU conclusions on Ukraine had strained Slovakia's relations with its European allies and raised questions about the country's commitment to EU consensus on foreign policy. The reversal marks a significant, if potentially temporary, shift in Slovakia's stance within the European Union. Orbán's Hungary has been the most persistent holdout among EU member states on Ukraine-related decisions, and Fico's willingness to support the conclusions in Orbán's absence suggests the two leaders' alignment may be more situational than fixed. The meeting with Zelensky would be a notable diplomatic moment, given the tense state of Slovak-Ukrainian relations under Fico's government.