Slovakia’s upcoming election could weaken western support for Ukraine, with Russia-friendly parties expected to make a comeback in the central European country.
Successive governments in Bratislava have maintained military support for Kyiv in its defence against Russian aggression. But populist and far-right parties with varying degrees of sympathy for the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine have a good chance of joining the government that will emerge from the September 30 snap election, raising concerns about another EU and Nato member becoming less supportive of Kyiv.
Leading in the polls is Smer, the party of former prime minister Robert Fico, who resigned in 2018 following anti-corruption protests sparked by the murder of an investigative journalist and his fiancée. Smer has been tipped to win 20 per cent of the vote but would require several coalition partners to govern.