Slovakia, Hungary won't join 70 billion euro EU package sought by Ukraine, Fico says

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico announced on October 16 that Slovakia would not join the 70-billion-euro ($79 billion) support package requested by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky during an EU summit in Brussels. Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar expressed a similar stance, according to Fico, as reported by the Slovak news agency TASR.

Zelensky had asked EU leaders on the same day for an additional 70 billion euros to aid Ukraine's defense and resilience efforts in 2027, as the country faces budget deficits amid persistent Russian aggression. The request arose only six months after the European bloc granted a 90-billion-euro ($101 billion) loan to Ukraine until the end of 2027.

However, Kyiv continues to experience a shortfall, as non-EU partners have not fully addressed the gap. Similar to Slovakia and Hungary, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis also stated that his nation would not participate in the additional financing package for Ukraine. Although these three countries did not block the approval of the 90-billion-euro package, they have opted not to provide direct military assistance.

Fico indicated that Slovakia would continue supporting Ukraine through alternative means, such as educational projects, logistics, and energy cooperation. While EU partners acknowledge the need to fill the budget gap, they have yet to reach an agreement on the specific 70 billion euros. French President Emmanuel Macron affirmed that Ukraine's allies would examine the request, stating that funding would be analyzed by the G7 countries, partners, and Europeans.