Slovakia to Return €3 million EU Funds Over Ukrainian Weapons Deal

Slovakia must repay three million euros it received from the European Union's Peace Facility after the value of military equipment donated to Ukraine was deemed overpaid. Defence Minister Robert Kaliňák said the reduction reflects a lower overall value of the transferred weapons, a trend affecting several donor states. Opposition politicians criticised the government’s handling of the EU negotiation, accusing it of losing diplomatic leverage and causing a financial loss to taxpayers.

In a related controversy, the Slovak Ministry of Defence transferred two batteries of the Soviet‑era 2K12 KUB air‑defence system to private firm Robus in 2024, labeling the hardware as scrap and selling it for a few thousand euros. Documents show the components were later resold through Romania and North Macedonia to Uganda for more than €11 million, sparking concerns that the equipment could ultimately reach Russian allies.

Both incidents highlight scrutiny over Slovakia’s management of defence assets and EU funding linked to Ukraine’s war effort.