(Dan Tri) – Slovakia, a NATO member country, announced that it will block the admission of Ukraine into the alliance, because it believes that this move will start World War 3.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (Photo: Reuters).

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico announced on January 20 that he would block Ukraine’s efforts to join NATO.

Mr. Fico made the above statement before his visit to Ukraine.

`I will tell the Ukrainian side that there are things on which the two sides have completely different views. I will say that Slovakia respects Ukraine’s desire to join the EU, but they must meet the conditions,` he said.

However, Mr. Fico affirmed that he would prevent Ukraine from joining NATO, emphasizing that such a move would only lead to a global disaster due to the scenario of direct conflict between NATO and Russia that could break out.

`I will tell the Ukrainian side that I will veto and block Kiev’s attempt to join NATO because that would be exactly the basis for the outbreak of World War 3 and nothing else,` he said.

Before Mr. Fico took office after winning the election in September 2023, Slovakia was one of the countries that strongly supported Kiev by providing a series of sophisticated weapons, including fighter jets.

New Defense Minister Robert Kalinak admitted earlier this week that the previous government’s move had seriously affected Slovakia’s defense posture.

Mr Kalinak told the Standard: `The previous government left us with no air defense system, no combat air force and we don’t even have the 700 million euros we promised, because they transferred it to

Previously, Western countries pledged to Slovakia to provide the Patriot air defense system in exchange for the S-300, as well as a compensation of 700 million euros for a squadron of fighter aircraft that Slovakia sent to Ukraine.

Minister Kalinak said that it may take Slovakia `many years` to overcome these situations.

`It is absurd that (then Defense Minister Jaroslav) Nad took such outrageous actions. After all, we are not the only NATO ally with the S-300 that Ukraine is interested in. At

After taking office, Mr. Fico stopped military aid to Kiev.

He has also repeatedly criticized the West’s approach to the Ukraine conflict.