Camilla Jessen
The Slovak President has denied requests from citizens who wish to serve in the Ukrainian army.
Slovak President Peter Pellegrini has turned down all recent requests from Slovak citizens wanting to join Ukraine’s armed forces since he took office in June, reported the TASR news agency on November 4.
This marks a shift from former President Zuzana Čaputová, who approved similar requests after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Slovak law requires citizens to have presidential approval to serve in a foreign army, with jail time as a possible penalty for those who serve without it.
This decision aligns with Pellegrini’s campaign stance, which supports current Prime Minister Robert Fico’s decision to stop sending arms to Ukraine from Slovakia’s reserves.
While Pellegrini previously supported military assistance to Ukraine, his administration has taken a more neutral approach.