“To the Four Corners of the World” – Determinants and Implementation of the Foreign Policy of Robert Fico’s Fourth Government

Abstract

The coalition government of Robert Fico (Smer-SSD) in Slovakia, established in the fall of 2023, has from the outset pursued a foreign policy of „openness to the four corners of the world”. In practice, this means distancing itself from the EU and NATO, limiting aid to Ukraine, and, above all, intensifying relations with non-EU partners, primarily the BRICS countries. This reorientation of foreign policy poses a challenge to regional cooperation and the development of Polish-Slovak relations. This article aims to analyse the conditions and key directions of the foreign policy of Robert Fico's government in 2023–2025 (European and transatlantic policy, regional cooperation, Eastern policy and opening to the Global South). The paper employs qualitative content analysis, comparative method and discourse analysis.