 | |
 Slovakia |  United States |
|---|---|
| Diplomatic mission | |
| Embassy of Slovakia, Washington, D.C. | Embassy of the United States,Bratislava |
Slovakia–United States relations are bilateral relations held between theUnited States and theSlovak Republic, particularly since the latter's independence in 1993. According to the 2012 U.S. Global Leadership Report, 27% ofSlovaks approve of U.S. leadership, with 32% disapproving and 41% uncertain.[1]
Jan Polerecky, a Slovak trained by the French military, fought for the United States during theAmerican Revolutionary War. A request for the creation of the Lincoln Riflemen of Sclavonic Origin was approved by PresidentAbraham Lincoln and this unit was later incorporated into the24th Illinois Infantry Regiment.[2]
A wave of Slovakian immigration to the United States started in 1873, following a cholera epidemic and crop failure. Around 500,000 Slovaks immigrated to the United States from 1899 to 1915, with 1905 being the highest year for Slovakian immigration at 52,368 admitted. The United States currently has the second-highest Slovak population in the world, only behind Slovakia.[2]
TheSlovak Republic that formed by breaking away from theSecond Czechoslovak Republic was not recognised by the United States. Slovakian diplomats attempted to contact the United States through countries that recognised the Slovak Republic, but were unsuccessful. The United States' policy was that Slovakia was under German occupation.[3]
The United States had a consulate inBratislava from 1 March 1948, to 27 May 1950.[4]
The United States established diplomatic relations with Slovakia in 1993.[5]Paul Hacker was the first diplomat to represent the United States and started his tenure as chargé d’Affaires ad interim on 4 January 1993.Theodore E. Russell was the first American ambassador to Slovakia.[6]
On 8 June 2003, in support of the United States-ledMulti-National Force – Iraq, eighty-five Slovak military engineers were sent to Iraq. They were stationed atCamp Echo, nearAl Diwaniyah, and primarily took part in anti-mining operations.[7] In 2004, Slovakia became a member ofNATO.[8]
American soldiers entered Slovak territory in 2015 as they traversed Slovakia to reach Hungary in order to take part in a military exercise, named Brave Warrior.[9] In October 2016, Slovakia hosted a military training exercise, named Slovak Shield, which included military forces from the United States, as well as soldiers from the Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary.[10]
In 2018, Slovakia signed a U.S. defence package deal of$1.6 billion for increased military investment of delivery of vehicles and systems, delayed byCOVID-19.[11] On July 22, 2024,the U.S. Air Force delivers the first of the promised 14F-16 Fighting Falcons tothe Slovak Air Force.[12]
This article incorporatespublic domain material fromU.S. Bilateral Relations Fact Sheets.United States Department of State.
Media related toRelations of Slovakia and the United States at Wikimedia Commons
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see also:Foreign relations of Czechoslovakia | ||
