In less than 48 hours since its launch, a crowdfunding campaign in Slovakia has surpassed its €1m (£850,000) target, aiming to procure artillery shells for Ukraine. The initiative comes in response to the Slovak cabinet’s decision not to participate in a Czech-led effort to purchase hundreds of thousands of shells for the Ukrainian military.
“We must oust Putin from Ukraine. We must defeat him,” declared Otto Simko, a 99-year-old Holocaust survivor and veteran of the 1944 Slovak National Uprising against the Nazis. Simko, along with others, initiated the campaign to challenge the government’s stance.
The concept of crowdfunding Slovak assistance for Kyiv arose from a casual discussion between the Slovak veteran, a journalist, and a philosopher. It offers Slovaks a means to circumvent the populist-nationalist policies of Prime Minister Robert Fico, who vowed upon taking office not to provide further ammunition to Ukraine.
Facing a scarcity of shells, rockets, and air defenses, Ukrainian forces have struggled to maintain their front lines against the Russian advance. Despite approximately 20 countries joining the Czech operation to procure artillery ammunition from the global arms market, Mr. Fico has staunchly refused Slovakia’s involvement.
The Slovak prime minister contends that the West’s strategy of arming Ukraine only prolongs the conflict, advocating instead for Kyiv to disarm and pursue peace negotiations with Moscow.