Slovakia will continue to spend 2 percent of its GDP on defence as requested by NATO, Slovak head of diplomacy Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) said at a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels on Tuesday.
"Slovak policy concerning NATO hasn't changed with the arrival of the new government. Our priority is to develop our own defence capabilities, especially in the field of air defence. We are aware that none of this will be possible without appropriate resource coverage, which is why we will continue our commitment to spend 2 percent of GDP on defence," Blanar claimed.
At the same time, Blanar held talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba on the sidelines of the meeting. Blanar informed Kuleba that Slovakia supports Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. "Any forcible change of them creates an international precedent that is unacceptable to us," said the Slovak minister.
Blanar added that Slovakia is interested in the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine. According to him, the reconstruction of the war-torn country represents a great opportunity for Slovakia and Ukraine for developing and intensifying mutual relations. On this note, Blanar confirmed that Slovakia will continue to provide humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
(TASR)
