PRAGUE, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Czech Republic will continue protecting Slovakia's airspace in 2025, according to a declaration signed on Wednesday by the defense ministers of the two countries.
Under the agreement, the Czech Republic will provide fighter aircraft and crews, ready to respond promptly to any airspace violations in Slovakia. Slovakia, in turn, will provide support such as refueling services, air navigation, and asset protection if needed, the Czech Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
The Czech Republic has been involved in safeguarding Slovak skies alongside Poland since September 2022, following Slovakia's decision to retire its MiG-29 fighter aircraft earlier than planned. In July 2023, Hungary joined the joint effort to protect Slovak airspace, formalized in a Visegrad Group (V4) declaration, which is valid until the end of 2024, according to the statement.
The V4 comprises the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia.
The declaration also affirms Slovakia's willingness to reciprocate by helping protect Czech airspace in the future if necessary, the ministry added. ■
