Germany and Slovakia enjoy close and friendly relations. These relations are based on the Treaty on Good‑neighbourliness and Friendly Cooperation between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic, dating from 27 February 1992, which the Slovak Republic maintains as one of the two successor states to the CSFR.

Both countries cooperate closely, including as part of the “enhanced dialogue” between the two Governments. The German-Slovak Reflection Group founded by the foreign ministries of the two countries, which convenes once a year, can recommend areas for cooperation and joint projects.

Germany and Slovakia are close partners in the European Union and NATO, which Slovakia joined in 2004. Federal President Steinmeier travelled to Slovakia for official visits in 2021 and 2022. The then Federal Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht and Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner also visited the country in 2022. Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger paid a visit to Germany in June 2022. In July 2022, Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock travelled to Slovakia for her first visit since taking office.

As in previous years, Germany remained Slovakia’s most important trading partner in 2022 in terms of both exports and imports. Some 600 German companies have made investments in the Slovak Republic since its foundation in 1993, creating around 160,000 jobs. This makes it one of the most important foreign direct investors in Slovakia.

Cultural and societal relations between Germany and Slovakia are close and diverse. There is a lively exchange in all areas of culture, through official institutions, private foundations and private contacts. German cultural intermediaries – such as the Goethe-Institut, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the Central Agency for Schools Abroad (ZfA) – are involved in numerous activities in Slovakia. German is the second‑most important foreign language taught in Slovak schools after English, and as such is a cornerstone for the close relations between the two countries. Forty schools in Slovakia belong to the Schools: Partners for the Future network supported by Germany.