Slovakia’s president and parliament ratified a new military treaty on Wednesday that will allow US forces to use two air bases in the country for the next decade.
Under the deal, the US will give Slovakia, a NATO member that shares a small border with Ukraine, $100 million to upgrade the bases. The treaty was signed by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Slovakia’s defense minister in Washington on February 3rd.
The treaty narrowly passed in a vote of 79 to 60 in Slovakia’s 150-seat parliament. Opponents of the deal in the parliament worry that such a treaty with the US threatens the country’s sovereignty. Both the US and Slovak governments insist the deal does not create a permanent US military presence in the country.
Besides the opposition to the deal in parliament, opinion polls show that ordinary Slovaks aren’t buying the US narrative around the issue of Ukraine. According to Reuters, a January poll showed that 44.1% of Slovaks believed the US and NATO were to blame for the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, while 34.7% blamed Moscow.
The deal with Slovakia is part of the US and NATO effort to bolster its forces near Ukraine amid heightened tensions with Russia. President Biden ordered about 3,000 troops to be deployed to Germany, Poland, and Romania. Some US troops were due in Romania on Wednesday for an open-ended deployment, and more are expected.
Some countries in the region are pushing for a greater US military presence. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said Wednesday that he will ask the US to permanently deploy troops to the Baltic country. “Of course we will be talking to the US to make sure that the rotational US forces would be in Lithuania permanently,” he said.
“The deal with Slovakia is part of the US and NATO effort to bolster its
forces near Ukraine amid heightened tensions with Russia.” and of course the US∕NATO claims that Russia is wrong to fear the encroachment of their forces to its border. To any thinking person, this and the constant flow of weapons into Ukraine reinforce the point of Russia’s demands.
Who in the heck is posting all the dang nudy pictures? Is there a way to curtail this?… I certainly hope so.
Damn, I must be missing out. Haven’t seen any of those – just the occasional spam. 🙂
When I come in to moderate, I get rid of the spam, including the nudie pictures. Those that get through the filters, that is, which is maybe 10% of the attempts at most. You’re welcome.
“Opponents of the deal in the parliament worry that such a treaty with the US threatens the country’s sovereignty.”
Ya think? Not that it matters to Russia – two more US bases to annihilate when the time comes. What does matter is this proves the US is still moving along with its plans to “contain” Russia and get a war going in Ukraine. Nothing Biden says about wanting to negotiate can be believed.
Richard:
You are highly cynical but correct I believe… 😉
“Opponents of the deal in the parliament worry that such a treaty with the US threatens the country’s sovereignty.”
Treaty = Bribe.