Are Slovaks a nation of cowards? Robert Fico’s politics of memory and the transformation of Slovak foreign policy towards Russia and Ukraine

This article examines how Robert Fico’s politics of memory have shaped Slovak policy towards Russia and Ukraine after the 2022 invasion, and what this implies for liberal nationalism in Slovakia. It argues that Fico’s success rests on a selective interpretation of national history, through which he portrays Russia as a historical ally, downplays Slovak complicity in Nazi and communist rule, and frames the war in Ukraine primarily in socio-economic rather than normative terms. In contrast, Slovak liberals have often treated nationhood and national history with suspicion, contrasting narratives about a “cowardly” nation with an uncritical alignment of Slovak interests with those of the European Union, leaving the politics of memory to the populists. Drawing on debates about the meaning of the Slovak National Uprising and dissident reflections on cowardice and responsibility, the article shows how the politics of memory structures domestic contestation over relations with Brussels, Kyiv, and Moscow. The article engages with liberal theories of nationalism to suggest that the pro-European camp in Slovakia requires a more positive national narrative that connects liberal-democratic commitments with Slovak historical experience. It concludes by proposing a liberal-nationalist reframing that could help Slovak opposition leaders reclaim debates on history and national interest.