Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico announced that Bratislava is in talks with the United States about purchasing F-16 fighter jets, and he is not happy that the orders are needed at all.
His comments come in the wake of his meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio this past weekend, where they discussed further cooperation in energy, weapons, national sovereignty, and the V4.
At the press conference held between Rubio and Fico, the Slovak PM said: “There’s an interest to increase numbers to 18 fighter jets, and now we’re discussing the topic about how to get four more of the planes to our armed forces because … it’s not a good sign of sovereignty that our airspace is protected by planes of the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland.”
Fico lays the blame for Slovakia’s predicament squarely on the shoulders of the previous government that handed the country’s fighter jets to Ukraine in 2022 and 2023. Defense News says this aid consisted of “13 outdated Mikoyan MiG-29 fighters.”
Fico and his defense ministry even launched an investigation to see if the transfers made to Ukraine were illegal, given they were seen by the new government as having critically weakened the country’s defense capabilities, but this investigation has since been closed with no evidence found of wrongdoing.
Hungary’s northern neighbor has so far announced an order for 14 fourth-generation American-made fighter jets, but Slovakia wants to acquire four more. The purchase could mean Bratislava would achieve greater independence in airspace policing missions than before.
There is interest in increasing the number of fighter jets to 18, and now we are discussing how to get four more planes into our armed forces, because… it is not a good sign for sovereignty that our airspace is protected by aircraft from the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland,” reported the Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs, according to Portfolio.
Bratislava had previously signed a contract back in 2018 for the purchase of 14 Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70/72 fighters, with the last of these rolling off the production line last December.
During the presser, Rubio also hailed Fico’s attention to his country’s security: “We’re always talking about military sales, and this is important. We’re very happy that the F-16 program is your program of choice. We hope you’ll consider some others as well that we can work together on. One of the key components of any country’s national interest is the ability to protect its people. There is no more important obligation of any government than the ability to protect your own people and your own nation.”
