Fico says risk of pan-European conflict has never been this high
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico says he does not want Slovakia drawn into a wider war through NATO's Article 5.
Published
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said the situation around a possible pan-European military conflict has never been as serious and tense as it is now.
Fico said he does not want Slovakia to become part of a military conflict because of Article 5, NATO's mutual defence clause. He added that Slovakia is a member of NATO, respects that membership, and cares about meeting its commitments.
The remarks come as comments from a NATO government on the alliance's core defence clause carry added weight. U.S. intelligence assessments have raised the prospect that Russian President Vladimir Putin could test NATO's resolve with limited attacks on allied territory. Hedging from a member state on Article 5 obligations, at a moment when that resolve is already in question, weakens the deterrent the clause is meant to provide. For risk assets whose pricing leans on alliance credibility, that tilts the balance further toward caution.