Slovakia allows arms export to Ukraine

By a majority vote, the Slovak Parliament has supported an amendment granting the Ministry of Defense the authority to approve the export of weapons

Politico reported that Slovakia's President, Zuzana Čaputová, had previously vetoed this bill. She justified her actions by stating that the Ministry of Defense lacks the expertise to assess the potential risks of selling weapons for Slovakia's international reputation and security.

As reported, the changes to the law involve altering the licensing for arms export. Previously, the Ministry of Economy of Slovakia was formally responsible for this, but now it will be solely handled by the Ministry of Defense.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has had an impact on Slovakia's defense sector, particularly on the ammunition manufacturer ZVS Holding, a company partially owned by the Ministry of Defense.

During the first seven months of 2023, ZVS Holding reported revenues of €44 million compared to €40 million for the entire year 2022, a change "largely associated with Russian aggression in Ukraine," according to the DMD Group's website.

According to former Slovak Minister of Defense Jaroslav Naď, almost 100% of ZVS Holding's ammunition production for the next two to three years "has already been sold to Ukraine."

What we know about Slovakia's assistance to Ukraine

Recently, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmyhal talked with his Slovak counterpart, Eduard Heger. During that discussion, they addressed the energy system and Bratislava's support for Ukraine concerning electricity imports during the winter.

Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Slovakia has provided €671 million worth of military assistance to Ukraine. This includes 13 MiG-29 fighters, the S-300 air defense missile system, around 30 BMPs, and ten self-propelled howitzers, "Zuzana-2."

Ukraine and Slovakia have also signed a contract for the production of the Zuzana 2 self-propelled artillery systems.

Similarly, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense is negotiating with Croatian DOK-ING and Slovak Way Industries for the localization of production for mechanized demining machines in Ukraine.

Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová has also stated that Bratislava was ready to help Ukraine promptly meet the requirements for full membership in the European Union.

On October 26, the new Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico, announced that his government was discontinuing military aid to Ukraine. However, he stated that the government would not block the supply of weapons and ammunition to Ukraine by private manufacturers.