Slovak PM Fico Cancels EU Summit Trip Due to Health Issues

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has canceled his participation in the European Union and European Political Community summits in Copenhagen due to health issues stemming from an assassination attempt on him in 2024, where he was critically injured after being shot four times. Despite attending a morning government session recently, Fico has canceled multiple public appearances in recent months as his health remains affected. His scheduled bilateral meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz was also canceled. The summit in Copenhagen focuses on defense matters, including proposals for a "drone wall" and the use of frozen Russian assets in response to Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Fico has opposed military aid to Ukraine and has maintained open relations with Russia, insisting Slovakia will not support further EU sanctions against Russia without EU measures to address climate policy alignment for industry and high electricity prices. Heightened security measures in Denmark accompany the summit, partly due to suspicious drone activity near airports.