...the successor to the Holy Roman Empire, only without the Hapsburgs and the nifty uniforms and the dancing...'s military aid for Ukraine.
The 59-year-old former prime minister's SMER-SSD party scored nearly 23% of Saturday's parliamentary poll, earning the president's nod to start talks to replace a technocrat government that has been backing Kyiv against Russia's invasion.
"We are not changing that we are prepared to help Ukraine in a humanitarian way," said Fico, whom analysts consider to be inspired by Hungary's nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban who has frequently clashed with the EU.
"We are prepared to help with the reconstruction of the state but you know our opinion on arming Ukraine," he added at a news conference.