Slovakia freezes decisions on Ukraine military aid
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Ukrainian soldiers fire a Soviet-era artillery gun at Russian positions on the outskirts of Bakhmut, in Ukraine's Donetsk region.
PHOTO: NYTIMES
BRATISLAVA - Slovakia has frozen decisions on providing military aid to neighbouring Ukraine after populists opposed to military assistance for Kyiv won a parliamentary election, the presidency said on Thursday.
Spokesman Martin Strizinec told AFP that President Zuzana Caputova shared the view of the outgoing premier “that a decision on this question must reflect the result of recent legislative elections”.
“A decision concerning military assistance at this moment will set a precedent” for the new government, he said, adding that the outgoing administration had limited powers.
The spokesman said Ms Caputova had not “changed her position on military aid to Ukraine and she will continue to back it”.
Populist Robert Fico, who has pledged to end military help for Ukraine, was tapped on Monday to form a new government, after his party finished first in Saturday’s vote with 23 per cent of the ballot.
Progressive Slovakia, a pro-Ukraine centrist party, finished second with 18 per cent of the vote. AFP
