Relationship dossier
Russia
Slovakia
Relationship assessment
Energy ties persist amid sharp political strain over Russia’s war against Ukraine and related sanctions.
Russia toward Slovakia
-25Russia has supplied Slovakia with energy, creating a concrete economic relationship. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has nevertheless intensified Slovak concerns over regional security and energy dependence, while EU sanctions and Russia’s broader confrontation with European governments have strained bilateral ties.
Slovakia toward Russia
-35Slovakia has supported EU sanctions against Russia and expelled Russian diplomats in response to security concerns. Before the current Slovak government took office, Slovakia also provided military equipment to Ukraine. These actions have contributed to strained relations with Moscow, although Slovakia has continued to maintain energy ties with Russia.
Overall relationship
-30The relationship combines longstanding energy links with substantial political and security friction. Russia’s war against Ukraine, Slovakia’s participation in EU sanctions, and related disputes outweigh the practical cooperation represented by energy ties, while changes in Slovak government policy complicate the longer-term outlook.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Russia and Slovakia have maintained energy and other economic ties, but Russia’s war against Ukraine has sharply strained the relationship. Slovakia has supported EU sanctions against Russia and, before the current Slovak government took office, supplied military equipment to Ukraine. The Slovak government later ended state military donations to Ukraine, while continuing to face disputes with Russia-related policy, including sanctions and energy security.
Areas of tension
- Russia’s war against Ukraine and its effects on Slovak security
- Slovakia’s support for EU sanctions against Russia
- Russian energy dependence and energy security
- Diplomatic disputes, including Slovakia’s expulsion of Russian diplomats
Key developments
Slovakia expelled Russian diplomats amid allegations of Russian involvement in the 2014 ammunition-depot explosions in the Czech Republic.
Before the current Slovak government took office, Slovakia supplied military equipment to Ukraine, including S-300 air-defense systems and MiG-29 aircraft.
The Slovak government ended state military donations to Ukraine after taking office, while Slovakia remained part of the EU sanctions framework against Russia.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and current status of Russian energy supplies and other bilateral economic arrangements are unclear.
- The extent of Slovak government engagement with Russia under successive governments is uncertain.