Exit polls show victory for liberals over pro-Moscow party in Slovakia elections

According to exit polls, liberal parties in Slovakia are currently leading over a pro-Moscow party led by populist former Prime Minister Robert Fico. The pro-Moscow party, known as Smer-SD, was initially expected to win but has seen a decline in popularity in recent days. The party has promised to immediately end military support to Ukraine. The final results will not be known for several hours as vote counting is still underway. If the liberal group, Progressive Slovakia, is confirmed as the winner, they will take the lead in coalition talks to form the next government. The party, led by Michal Simecka, is projected to win 23.5% of the vote, while Fico's party is expected to receive 21.9% according to an exit poll conducted by the Focus agency for TV Markiza. Fico had to resign as prime minister after the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak in 2018. Fico recently declared that if his party enters government, they will halt any military assistance to Ukraine. This statement has raised concerns among European Union and NATO members. Slovakia has been a steadfast supporter of Kyiv, providing surface-to-air missiles, helicopters, and even donating its entire fleet of retired MiG-29 fighter jets.