Slovak premier offers Armenia "fantastic cooperation"

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who is on an official visit to Yerevan, has expressed optimism about expanding cooperation between Slovakia and Armenia in the fields of nuclear energy and defence industry.

“We have the same reactors in Armenia and Slovakia,” Fico told journalists. “We need to jointly examine nuclear fuel, what to do with spent nuclear fuel. We both have companies that specialise [in nuclear energy]. Let’s combine their efforts, and the result could be fantastic cooperation,” Caliber.Az reports, citing Armenian media.

In addition to energy, the Slovak leader highlighted the potential for joint efforts in defence manufacturing.

“If we don’t produce [the necessary weapons], someone else will—and we’ll have to buy them. If we must allocate significant funds for security, let’s do everything so that through cooperation between small states, we can develop products that meet our needs without relying on major partners in the North Atlantic alliance,” Fico said.

He voiced hope that both countries could achieve “very successful cooperation” in these sectors in the future.

Concluding his remarks, Fico noted that Bratislava and Yerevan would continue to support each other on various international platforms.

Slovakia, a member of the European Union and NATO, possesses significant experience in the nuclear energy sector, operating Russian-designed VVER reactors similar to those used at Armenia’s Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant.

The Metsamor plant, built during the Soviet era, remains Armenia’s sole nuclear facility and is crucial for the country’s energy security, supplying roughly one-third of its electricity. However, the ageing facility has raised safety concerns internationally, especially within the EU. Armenia has been actively seeking ways to modernise its nuclear infrastructure and ensure continued energy independence. Slovakia’s expertise and technological compatibility make it a natural partner in this domain.

By Khagan Isayev