Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajčák. (source: SITA)
Slovakia is not among the EU countries who have decided to show solidarity with the UK by expelling Russian diplomats as a reaction to the attack on former Russian agent Sergey Skripal in Salisbury.
Countries who will expel Russians
USA (60), UK (23), Ukraine (13), Canada (4) ,Germany, Poland, France (4), Czechia, Lithuania (3), Italy, Spain, Denmark, the Netherlands (2), Romania, Croatia, Hungary, Estonia (1)
All Slovakia's partners from the Visegrad Group (Czechia, Poland, Hungary) are among the countries who have joined the initiative. The Slovak diplomatic service has not yet said whether Slovakia would join too.
"The Slovak Republic unambiguously condemned the attack with the chemical weapon in Salisbury, UK, acknowledged the conclusions of the European Council on March 22, 2018, and reserved the right to take further steps in connection with this case," Slovakia's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Peter Susko, told the Sme daily.
The Slovak government has also requested to see the Russian Ambassador to Slovakia.
"The further development of the situation and Russia's response to the calls the EU states, including Slovakia, have made, will influence the further steps we are ready to consider regarding this issue," Susko told Sme, but failed to give a clear answer about the possible expulsion of Russian diplomats from the country.
Skripal and his daughter were attacked on March 4, using the Novichok nerve gas that was developed in the former USSR. Both victims are still in critical condition.
