President Andrej Kiska delivered a speech at the annual GLOBSEC Bratislava Global Security Forum on Friday. He reflected on his recent attendance at the NATO summit in Brussels, which was the first summit of heads of states and governments with the new US President in attendance. He expressed his relief that the transatlantic bond between NATO member states remains strong, despite concerns that arose in the months following the US elections. Kiska also mentioned that Montenegro is now a new ally, and that all 28 member states are committed to fulfilling their responsibilities.
As the President of the Slovak Republic, Kiska emphasized the importance of Slovakia’s contributions to NATO commitments, including the deployment of Slovak troops to Iraq and securing allies in the Baltics through an “enhanced forward presence”. Kiska then shifted his focus to the challenges facing institutions of the West, including NATO and the EU. He highlighted the need to maintain truly democratic countries based on common values and resist the influence of those who seek to undermine these institutions. He concluded by urging everyone to protect the integrity of elections and prevent them from becoming a game of survival for democracy.