'He'd gladly go to war': Fico accuses Czech President Pavel of warmongering

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has issued a sharp rebuke to Czech President Petr Pavel after the latter criticized his stance on a potential military conflict between NATO and Russia. The dispute erupted over Fico's remarks about not wanting to drag Slovakia into a war "over some Article 5" of the North Atlantic Treaty.

"Czech President Petr Pavel, whom I have always respected as the head of a sovereign Czech Republic, is often inclined to comment on my work. This time he spoke out against my position on attempts to provoke a military conflict between NATO and Russia," Fico wrote in response to Pavel's remarks.

"I understand that as a former NATO general, he'd gladly go to war. However, I trust he will respect my determination to pursue peace," the Slovak prime minister added.

What Pavel said

Earlier this week, Fico voiced concerns that the war in Ukraine, which Russia invaded in 2022, could escalate into a pan-European armed conflict. He said he did not want Slovakia "to become part of some military conflict because of some Article 5" of the North Atlantic Treaty. Czech President Petr Pavel criticized these remarks.

"This is an extremely serious statement, one that should be taken seriously and that we certainly should not follow. Article 5 clearly expresses solidarity and mutual responsibility. If someone says they're glad to be a NATO member — meaning NATO protects them — but isn't willing to step in if someone else is attacked, then they haven't understood the meaning of the word 'solidarity,'" the Czech president said.

Fico's response

In his reaction, Fico criticized "the West's military rhetoric and its search for a pretext for military conflict with Russia," which, in his view, are meant to distract attention from other problems. He reiterated his position on the potential deployment of Slovak troops.

"As long as I am prime minister of the Slovak Republic, I will not agree to the participation of Slovak soldiers in any military adventures provoked by anyone within NATO," he said.

At the same time, Fico clarified that "in the event of an actual armed attack on one or more NATO member states, the relevant Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty provides alliance members with several options for expressing solidarity." The Slovak prime minister had already voiced a similar position on Saturday in a video address on social media.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz