Slovakia will oppose any European Union proposals aimed at suspending dialogue with Israel, Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár told his Israeli counterpart, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, during a diplomatic meeting in Bratislava on Tuesday.
The declaration came as part of a joint press conference held by the two ministers, in which Sa’ar expressed appreciation for Slovakia’s firm stance against “unilateral and biased steps” targeting Israel within international forums.
Foreign Minister Sa’ar, who is on an official visit to Slovakia, thanked Blanár for his hospitality and welcomed the opportunity to strengthen bilateral ties between the two nations. “Slovakia is a beautiful and safe country,” Sa’ar stated, adding that Israel hopes to increase mutual tourism and cooperation.
During the press conference, Sa’ar underlined Israel’s commitment to achieving a hostage deal and a ceasefire with Hamas. “We sent a delegation to negotiate in Doha. We said yes to Special Envoy Witkoff's proposals. Israel is serious in its will to reach a hostage deal and a ceasefire. I believe it's achievable,” he said.
Sa’ar emphasized that Israel remains committed to its war objectives, but reiterated that “war itself is not an objective,” stressing the importance of diplomatic avenues to resolve the conflict. He placed responsibility for the ongoing war squarely on Hamas, which he said continues to hold 50 Israeli hostages in captivity.
The Israeli minister also updated his Slovak counterpart on recent humanitarian efforts in Gaza, noting recent decisions by Israel’s Security Cabinet to expand aid delivery. “We are dealing with this issue in good faith,” Sa’ar said. “We will continue mutual efforts with other states, International Organizations, and the EU to address it.”
On regional security, Sa’ar warned that Iran's nuclear program remains the greatest threat to Israel and the region. He highlighted Israel’s recent operations in Iran, saying they had directly contributed to European security by weakening Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities.
The two ministers also acknowledged shared values, historical ties, and mutual commitment to security. Sa’ar noted the Slovak Institute’s recent opening in Jerusalem and thanked Slovakia for preserving Holocaust memory and protecting its Jewish community.
Sa’ar concluded by inviting Minister Blanár to visit Jerusalem and reaffirmed his intention to deepen cooperation between Israel and Slovakia.