Foreign Affairs Ministry Rejects Speculation on Training of Ukrainian Insurgents

Bratislava, January 18 (TASR) – The Foreign Affairs Ministry on Tuesday rejected speculation published by the New York Times regarding the possible training of Ukrainian insurgents in Slovakia, after Smer-SD party leader Robert Fico focused on such claims.

“At the same time, we’re calling on politicians and conspirators in Slovakia to pay more attention to what is important to Slovakia, namely the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine as our immediate neighbour, than to fabricated statements in the press and scaremongering that uses the Defence Cooperation Agreement with the USA,” stated the ministry.

On this note, the ministry also called on Fico to provide an unequivocal statement on the threat faced by Ukraine and to express support for the country’s territorial integrity without obfuscation.

Fico stated on Monday evening that help for Ukrainian insurgents could involve training in countries that are on NATO’s eastern border and are neighbours with Ukraine, namely Poland, Romania and Slovakia. He referred to an article published recently by the New York Times, which cited representatives of the US administration. Fico claimed that Ukrainian insurgents could be easily trained in Slovakia due to the DCA with the USA.