Hungary to join forces with Czechia and Poland to safeguard Slovak airspace

Today Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď made his working trip abroad to Hungary's Budapest to meet Hungarian Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky for talks centred on current security and defence policy issues, the developments in Ukraine, and the forthcoming opportunities for cooperation in the Visegrad Group, including on Slovak airspace protection.

Following the meeting, Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď announced: “Today, we can confirm the Hungarian sideʼs interest and the Slovak sideʼs interest and gratitude to Hungary that it will get involved in protecting Slovak airspace. After Poland and Czechiaʼs involvement in this initiative and Hungaryʼs declaration of interest in joining this cooperation, the Hungarian Air Force will, after the signing of relevant documents, protect Slovak skies. So, a real Visegrad project is now emerging, which testifies to the significance of the V4 as a vital platform for advancing cooperation of our countries. From the political and military perspective, this is a positive step with added value for all those involved.”

He gave more clarity to the intent whereby a joint political declaration on the protection of Slovak airspace is due to be signed at the V4 Defence Ministerial in June 2023. By then, SVK MOD experts will have finalised the wording of the technical arrangements regarding the general and practical aspects of this collaboration.

In their conversation, the leaders shared insights into the evolving situation in Ukraine, the ongoing transatlantic processes, and the security situation in the Western Balkans. As well as this, the two discussed their experience of capabilities modernisation in both Armed Forces and the operations of the NATO Battlegroups that were stood up in Slovakia and Hungary in the wake of Russia's aggression against Ukraine.

The ministers also addressed the V4 defence cooperation agenda. On this note, Minister Naď expressed his appreciation for a good level of engagement with Hungary on the V4's highest visibility project – the V4 EU Battlegroup, which is on standby in the first half of 2023. Slovakia holds the V4 Presidency until 30 June 2023.