Slovakia and Czechia plan on engaging in more intense defence cooperation, the first step being Czechia taking command of eFP in Slovakia

Today (18 March 2022), Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď welcomed Czech Defence Minister Jana Černochová to the Ministry of Defence for bilateral talks in Bratislava. In keeping up with the tradition, it was the first time she had undertaken an official foreign visit and the first time she had visited the SVK Ministry of Defence since taking office. As the leading topics of their conversation, both leaders talked about Russia's military aggression against Ukraine and the humanitarian aid therewith associated, NATO's uplift in Eastern Europe, and the collaboration between the SVK and CZE defence industries.

The head of the SVK MOD extended his thanks to the Czech side for the Czech Armed Forces' contribution to the stand-up of NATO's eFP BG in Slovakia, where the Czech Republic as the framework nation will be leading the multinational battlegroup. Up to 600 Czech military personnel will deploy to Slovakia.

Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď said: “I’m pleased that the first Czech soldiers will be in Slovakia as early as the coming weeks, maybe even earlier. We are sending out not only a clear signal of good relations, but also that of a responsible alliance that the Czech Republic has shown towards Slovakia.”

From the perspective of humanitarian assistance, Minister Naď highlighted the Czech Armed Forces' very active engagement, mentioning in particular the deployment of CZE Army personnel to Slovakia to set up and operate a tent camp for Ukrainian refugees on the Mokraď base near Liptovský Mikuláš.

Both countries are committed to pursuing closer ties during the coming Slovak V4 Presidency and the Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union. “We want to connect our priorities with these two organisations. It will be quite a challenge for the Czech Republic to lead the European Union in these times of crisis, at a time of the Russian aggression against Ukraine. Therefore, we will be of maximum help to the Czech Republic,” Naď added.

Both leaders took a close interest in deepening their Armed Forces modernisation and defence industry cooperation. Thanks largely to this, some defence programmes of the SVK and CZE governments could be addressed at the Government-to-Government level.

As part of her official visit to Slovakia, Czech Defence Minister Jana Černochová attended a wreath-laying ceremony at the General M. R. Štefánik Statue in Bratislava. Ms Černochová offered a reciprocal invitation to his counterpart, against the backdrop of the commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of Op Anthropoid in the Czech Republic.