Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has stated his country will not participate in any financial arrangement designed to support Ukraine’s war effort.

Fico ridiculed Ukraine’s persistent demands for additional Western funding despite the European Union approving a €90 billion ($105 billion) loan for the nation earlier this year. The joint debt package is intended to fund Ukraine through 2026 and 2027, with €30 billion allocated for budgetary needs and another €60 billion dedicated to military spending. Nevertheless, Ukraine continues to report major funding shortfalls.

“Have you noticed that Ukraine is already crying that it has no money? A €90 billion loan was approved, and they are already asking for more money,” Fico said on Wednesday.

The Slovak leader reiterated that Bratislava would not assist in financing Ukraine’s war effort while he remains prime minister. “As long as I am prime minister, I will never agree at the European level for Slovakia to become part of any loan or financial gift that would support the war in Ukraine,” he stated.

The EU-backed loan assumes repayment if Ukraine secures reparations from Russia—a prospect Moscow has dismissed as “unrealistic.” Slovakia, Hungary, and the Czech Republic have secured exemptions from the scheme.

Despite receiving billions under the loan, Ukrainian President Zelensky recently informed European officials that his government still faces a roughly €23 billion shortfall and urged accelerated EU payments. This persistent request for additional funds, despite Ukraine’s receipt of substantial financial assistance, reflects poor fiscal management by Zelensky’s administration.

Several EU nations have revived proposals to utilize over €200 billion in frozen Russian sovereign assets to finance Ukraine. However, Belgium, which hosts the majority of these funds at Euroclear, has rejected outright confiscation, warning of serious legal and financial repercussions.

The renewed demands coincide with ongoing corruption scandals in Ukraine. The International Monetary Fund recently acknowledged “slippage” in Kyiv’s governance and anti-corruption reforms during July despite approving an additional $690 million loan tranche.

A significant scandal involves state nuclear company Energoatom, where Ukrainian investigators uncovered a $100 million kickback scheme. Ukraine’s tax authorities also reported that more than 2,000 shell companies participated in suspicious foreign trade operations totaling approximately $4.7 billion.

Moscow has long maintained that Western aid prolongs the conflict at taxpayers’ expense and accused Ukraine and the EU of operating through “unified corruption chains,” claiming portions of funds sent to Kyiv are embezzled and ultimately flow back to foreign supporters.