US President Donald Trump invited Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico to visit the US in mid-2026 to sign an agreement that could allow Westinghouse to participate in a €13-15 billion ($11-12.7 billion) nuclear power plant project.
“Signing our Intergovernmental Agreement will open the door for Slovakia to select American technology to build a world-class nuclear reactor in your great country,” Trump wrote in a letter shared by Fico in a post on Facebook.
The visit is planned to coincide with the FIFA World Cup and US Independence Day, likely in June or July 2026.
Fico has praised Trump’s political style and is seeking to mirror his “America First” approach. Looking beyond his traditional European Union partners, the Slovak leader has drawn closer to Moscow as he works to maintain Russian oil and gas supplies.
The new state-owned 1,200 MW nuclear unit represents a significant shift for Slovakia’s traditionally Russia-aligned nuclear sector and could create opportunities for US companies in central Europe. The project, for which Fico named Westinghouse the preferred partner, will be Slovakia’s largest-ever investment.
The intergovernmental agreement is the first step, with feasibility studies and a final contract expected by 2027, Economy Minister Denisa Sakova said earlier this year, noting that other companies could still take part in the project.
The Slovak government considered a tender last year involving France’s EDF and South Korea’s KHNP. After Westinghouse executives met Fico in Bratislava in May, he began discussing a direct award. The opposition criticized the decision to award the contract without a public tender.
Slovakia Ranks Second in EU for Nuclear Power Share
Note: Public net electricity generation from nuclear sources, 2024
Westinghouse said the project would allow it to expand its regional presence in central Europe.
“People who help build this Slovak reactor and provide engineering services would do so in other countries as well,” said Dan Lipman, President of Energy Systems at Westinghouse, after his meeting with Fico in the Slovak capital in May.
Slovakia is nearing completion of its sixth nuclear unit, expected online in 2026, which would raise nuclear power to around 70% of its electricity mix.
Source: Bloomberg