The Ministry of Defence is preparing the purchase of armoured fighting vehicles for over two billion euros. It wants to turn to selected allied countries. EU member states do not benefit, although Brussels is calling for this in the context of building European strategic autonomy.

"It is important that EU countries, including those that are also NATO allies, remain united in crisis situations. And they are looking not only for common solutions, but also for lessons from past failures," the State Secretary of the Foreign Ministry writes in his commentary.

The pandemic crisis was also an opportunity for the EU armies. In addition to their traditional tasks, all the bloc's countries had specific requirements. "European soldiers have shown that they can be helpful in non-traditional tasks," writes a Spanish army lieutenant-colonel who is an expert on military operations.

The Department of Defense found symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder in only five of the 1,600 soldiers who returned from deployments in the military. According to the Union of War Veterans, this is a long-neglected problem, and the Ministry of Defence has no plans for systemic changes.

NATO is discussing how to set its defence strategy for the next decade. According to experts, Slovakia should push for reforms that will enable the development of its own defence capabilities. However, it should also pay attention to non-traditional military threats, including hybrid, cyber security and new technologies.