US Adds Air Force Base in Slovakia Near Ukraine Border

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The United States has gained access to use air force bases in Slovakia, a country neighboring Ukraine. After intense debate, the Slovak parliament passed a defense cooperation agreement with the U.S., and it is expected that the U.S. troop buildup in Eastern Europe will be further strengthened.

According to major foreign media on the 9th (local time), the Slovak parliament announced that it had approved the defense cooperation agreement with the U.S. To pass the agreement, a majority of more than 76 votes out of 150 total members was required, and it is reported that 79 members voted in favor. President Zuzana ?aputov? of Slovakia also gave her final approval by signing the agreement, making Slovakia the last country in the eastern region of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to sign a defense pact.

Under this agreement, U.S. forces will be able to use two air force bases in Slovakia?Slia? and Malacky?for the next 10 years. Slovakia will receive $100 million (approximately 120 billion KRW) from the U.S. to modernize these bases. The signing of this agreement is expected to accelerate the U.S. troop buildup in Eastern Europe.

Slovakia, which borders Ukraine and the eastern mountainous region, has seen considerable opposition to the U.S. buildup in Eastern Europe, unlike other Eastern European countries, amid the standoff with Russia. This is largely due to public concerns that if Russia’s invasion of Ukraine intensifies, the war could spill over into Slovakia.

In a recent poll conducted in Slovakia, 44.1% of respondents said that NATO and the U.S. were responsible for the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, while only 34.7% blamed Russia. Robert Fico, leader of the Slovak opposition, criticized the agreement as "deceptive, dirty, and bad," adding, "Those who support it hope Slovakia will become U.S. territory."

The Slovak government emphasizes that this agreement is on par with agreements already signed by the other 23 NATO allies. Before the parliamentary vote, Defense Minister Jaroslav Na? said, "This agreement is about modernizing our defense infrastructure together with the U.S. The alliance guarantees our sovereignty, and that is exactly what allies seek."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.