Slovakia complained that because of Ukraine they were left without air defense and aircraft

Slovakia transferred its only S-300 complex to Ukraine, but did not receive a replacement. The country is looking for a new air defense system, but overall the process of providing missile defense could take years, the defense minister said. Slovakia, while helping Ukraine, was left without the necessary military equipment and weapons, the country's Defense Minister Robert Kaliniak said in an interview with Standard.

“The previous government left us without our own air defense system, without combat aircraft, and we don’t even have the promised 700 million [euro compensation] for  MiGs , which the government also transferred to Ukraine,” he said.

In 2022, Bratislava transferred its only S-300 complex to Kyiv, which is used as an air defense system. In return, they promised to hand over the American Patriot system, but for a time to discuss a long-term solution to the problem. However, Bratislava was left without Patriot.

According to Kaliniak, Slovakia is in negotiations with an unnamed Israeli company to purchase a new air defense system that “will cost about a billion” euros. The country is also considering an offer from Germany, the minister indicated. At the same time, it may take Slovakia years to recreate its air defense system, Kaliniak added.

At the moment, the Italian anti-missile system SAMP/T performs the air defense function in the country, and Bratislava intends to negotiate with Rome so that these weapons remain in the country as long as possible, the head of the Ministry of Defense noted .

Last year the government changed in Slovakia. If the past was in favor of providing military assistance to Ukraine - it was it that transferred the S-300, and also supplied Zuzana howitzers, MiG-29 fighters and other equipment, then the new opposes such a policy.

The current Prime Minister Robert Fico, in particular, excluded the supply of weapons and ammunition to Kyiv and said that his government “does not believe in a military solution to the conflict in Ukraine, since it only leads to unnecessary bloodshed without results.” However, the country did not refuse to help in humanitarian terms and the restoration of Ukraine.

Moscow opposes Western military assistance to Kyiv. President Vladimir Putin said that without such support Ukraine would last no more than a week.