Slovakia prepares for second round of EU SAFE defense funding

Slovak Defense Minister Robert Kaliňák announced that the second round of the European Union’s SAFE instrument is expected to launch within several months. The SAFE tool provides member states with long-term, favorable loans to fund weapons and other military requirements, with a total volume reaching 150 billion euros.

Slovakia has already been approved for a loan of up to 2.317 billion euros, including 347.5 million euros in preliminary financing. The Slovak Ministry of Defence intends to use these funds to finance or co-finance nine specific investment projects as part of a national investment plan for the European defense industry.

While supporting the expansion of defense capabilities, Kaliňák warned of potential chaos caused by the duplication of roles between the EU and NATO. He emphasized that while the EU can support continental defense and industrial development, the actual provision of defense remains the responsibility of NATO.