Needed elsewhere – Fico said that Italy will withdraw the SAMP/T air defense system from Slovakia

Italy recalls SAMP/T air defense system from Slovakia/Collage 24 Channel

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said that Italy will withdraw the SAMP/T air defense system from the country. The Italian side leased this complex to the Slovak side.

Fico also complained that due to Italy’s decision to withdraw SAMP/T from the country strategic objects in Slovakia will be under threat.

Fico said that Italy is withdrawing SAMP/T

Robert Fico noted that he had received a message from the Italian government that the Italian SAMP/T air defense system, which the country had been leasing for a year, would be withdrawn from Slovakia because it was needed elsewhere.

The Slovak Prime Minister also emphasized that because of this decision, the country’s strategic facilities, in particular nuclear power plants, remain unprotected. In addition, he added that the previous government “gifted” Ukraine a working Russian S-300 air defense system at the beginning of the Russian invasion.

Then We had the American Patriot systems for some time, later they left, and now the Italians are coming too,” complained Fico.

It is worth noting that in 2023 the Italian SAMP air defense system /T replaced the American Patriot system in Slovakia. It is still unknown where exactly the Italians will move the SAMP/T system.

The head of the Slovak Foreign Ministry met with Lavrov

• Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovakia Juraj Blanar met and held negotiations with Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov on March 3. The meeting took place at a diplomatic forum in Antalya, Turkey.
• In particular, the politicians took a photo of them shaking hands. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico “approved” such a meeting and the actions of the head of the Slovak Foreign Ministry in general.
• During the negotiations, Blanar called for “the speedy resumption of peace negotiations between the parties to the conflict” and “cessation of hostilities.” Lavrov said that Slovakia “unequivocally rejected” the proposal of French President Emmanuel Macron and will not send Slovak military personnel to the territory of Ukraine.
• It is worth noting that Russia became the initiator of the dialogue with Slovakia. Fico explained that the meeting with Lavrov is an example of Slovakia’s “balanced and sovereign foreign policy towards all aspects of the world.” Slovak opposition politicians very harshly condemned both Blanar and Fico for facilitating the meeting with Lavrov.