Slovakia denies reports of joining "Coalition of the Willing"

Slovakia has rejected reports that it has joined the so-called “Coalition of the Willing,” an informal grouping of countries supporting Ukraine, with Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár clarifying that Bratislava has not taken on membership in the initiative.

According to Slovak media outlet Dennik N, Blanár said the country’s ambassador to Paris attended a July meeting of the coalition only in an observer capacity.

The clarification follows reports published on Thursday, July 23, by the euBrief news portal, affiliated with Euractiv, which cited information from the French Embassy in Slovakia suggesting that Bratislava had joined the group.

“In order to avoid misunderstandings and to clarify the information circulating in the media, we have asked the French Embassy in Bratislava to explain its statement about Slovakia’s alleged membership in the ‘Coalition of the Willing’,” the Slovak Foreign Ministry said.

The “Coalition of the Willing,” announced in spring 2025, is an informal framework bringing together more than 30 predominantly European countries prepared to provide military and logistical assistance to Ukraine. The initiative does not maintain a fixed membership list, and participation can vary depending on the commitments made by individual states.

By Tamilla Hasanova