Ukraine and Slovakia sign 4 major agreements after Shmyhal and Fico meeting

Ukraine and Slovakia have signed four agreements during Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico’s visit to Uzhorod on Monday.  In his post on Telegram, the Ukrainian prime minister Denys Shmyhal said the agreements, which span political, economic, and agricultural sectors, underline Slovakia’s support for Ukraine’s sovereignty.

The documents include:

1. Joint Declaration outlines four main areas of collaboration:
   • Strengthening political dialogue and fostering good neighborly relations.
   • Supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
   • Advancing key joint projects, including the reconstruction of the gas interconnector, direct railway connections, and modernization of border infrastructure.
   • Expanding cooperation in various sectors, including energy, defense, education, science, and humanitarian aid.
2. Readmission Protocol is set to streamline the process for returning Slovak and Ukrainian citizens to their respective countries, streamlining the legal framework for managing migration.
3. Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministries of Education comes as a roadmap for educational cooperation, focusing on supporting Ukrainian students and teachers in Slovakia, fostering direct cooperation between educational institutions, and promoting innovation.
4. Memorandum of Cooperation in Agriculture will see Slovakia providing Ukraine support to align its agricultural legal framework with European standards as part of its EU integration efforts.

These agreements mark a significant step in strengthening the two countries’ relations that earlier took a dent after Slovak PM tried to veer Bratislava’s policies toward what many call a pro-Russia camp.