Pellegrini: Slovakia to Back NATO Summit Conclusions (3)

Bratislava, 6 July (TASR) – Slovakia will support the conclusions of this week's NATO summit, said the President's Office after President Peter Pellegrini held a working breakfast with Prime Minister Robert Fico and Foreign and European Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar (both Smer-SD) on Monday. Pellegrini said that all three agreed that Slovakia will endorse the summit conclusions. He underlined, however, that any financial commitments relating to military assistance for Ukraine remain a matter for individual member states to decide. "Slovakia will support the conclusions of the NATO summit. At the same time, it remains the case that it won't participate in any further financial contributions or loans intended for military assistance to Ukraine," said Pellegrini. He announced that he'll fly to the summit together with Blanar and Defence Minister Robert Kalinak (Smer-SD) and that, in addition to the summit, he'll also participate in bilateral talks. According to the President's Office, one of the significant bilateral meetings will be with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday (9 July) directly at the Beştepe Presidential Complex. "The talks will provide an opportunity to discuss the security situation in the region, economic cooperation, as well as the further development of bilateral relations between Slovakia and Turkey," stated the President's Office. The president added that the principle of voluntary national decisions on assistance to Ukraine was confirmed in a letter from NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, which Prime Minister Fico handed to him on Monday. Pellegrini said that Slovakia will continue to provide humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, supporting its energy infrastructure and supplying non-lethal systems. "Joint meetings of the governments of the Slovak Republic and Ukraine will also continue, with the next one planned in Lviv after the summer," he said. Foreign Minister Blanar confirmed that Slovakia's position is unified. "Slovakia is making every effort to support peace negotiations and dialogue with the aim of ending this military conflict. After more than four years, it's becoming increasingly clear that what our government has been saying from the outset is true: it has no military solution and is only leading to further senseless killing on both sides, as well as the destruction of Ukraine and its economy," said Blanar. The NATO summit will take place in Ankara, Turkey, on 7 and 8 July, with the main session of Allied leaders scheduled to take place at the Beştepe Presidential Complex on Wednesday. The meeting will be hosted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. NOTE: This story has been extended to include paragraphs 4 to 6 mf/df/jrg