The United States has started negotiations with the government of Slovakia for the purchase and sale of 12 new military attack helicopters, the Bell AH-1Z "Viper" model of American production. Bratislava confirmed that Washington's offer aims to compensate for the transfer of 13 Russian-made MiG-29 military aircraft to the armed forces of Ukraine, in support of the conflict against Moscow.

The Slovak defense minister Jaroslav Nad communicated this in the past few hours. Slovakian Prime Minister Eduard Heger added on Twitter: "Promises must be kept, and when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for more weapons, including fighter jets, I said we would do our best. I'm glad others are doing the same. itself. Military aid is essential to ensure that Ukraine can defend itself and the whole of Europe against Russia".

According to the deal, Slovakia would pay 340 million dollars to obtain helicopters worth about one billion dollars, including 500 AGM-114 Hellfire II missiles and training service. Bratislava will receive 213 million dollars from the European Union in purchase aid. Slovakia is thus the second member state of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), after Poland, to send war aircraft to Ukraine.