A poster for former Foreign Minister Ivan Korcok, a pro-Western career diplomat, one of the nine candidates in the upcoming Slovakia presidential election, in Slovakia, March 22, 2024. (AP)

The first round of the Slovakian presidential elections will be held on Saturday but will witness a tense stage since the candidates represent one being Russia-leaning and the other being pro-Ukraine.

Parliament speaker Peter Pellegrini is supported by populist Prime Minister Robert Fico who has been a staunch critic of Ukraine and its funding. On the other hand, ex-foreign minister Ivan Korcok is more pro-Ukraine.

A recent Ipsos survey shows that Pellegrini, who was a former prime minister as well, would nab 37% of the votes while Korcok would garner 36%.

Polling stations will open for 15 hours at 7:00 am, but Pellegrini and Korcok are anticipated to dispute an April 6 runoff since the 50% vote share needed to win on Saturday won't be reached.

Tomas Koziak, a political analyst at the University of International Business ISM Slovakia, told AFP, "If Pellegrini wins, Slovakia could go the 'Orban way'," referring to Hungary's PM Viktor Orban who has been at odds with NATO over Ukraine aid.

"In the case of Korcok, the pro-Western orientation is absolutely obvious. His attitude towards Russia would be uncompromising," he added.

Pellegrini, on his part, told AFP, "The Slovak political scene is divided between those who are in favour of the continuation of the war at all costs, and those who demand the start of peace negotiations... I belong to the latter."

'Fighting for Slovakia'

Korcok is a diplomat who represented Slovakia in the United States, Germany, and Switzerland, while having criticized Fico for favoring negotiations with Russia, telling AFP, "The Russian Federation has trampled on international law... I do not think Ukraine should give up part of its territory to achieve peace."

"The first prerequisite for us to be able to talk about a peaceful solution to this war is that Russian missiles stop hitting Ukrainian schools and hospitals." he added.

Since taking office in October, the Minister accused his predecessors of relinquishing vital military equipment to Ukraine without ensuring a plan to secure replacements.

This comes as Fico wrote in Slovakia’s Pravda newspaper back in January, “I will no longer be subject to stupid liberal and progressive demagoguery. It is literally shocking to see how the West has repeatedly made mistakes in assessing the situation in Russia."

In the last presidential debates, the two candidates clashed over the issue of Ukraine with Pellegrini urging "an immediate ceasefire and the opening of peace negotiations."

However, Korcok claimed that "peace cannot mean capitulation" and that it could come "immediately" on condition that Russian troops withdraw.

Voters, meanwhile, had their own say.

Bratislava voter Marta Demcakova said, "I will vote for Korcok, as to me Pellegrini is even less acceptable than Fico, and that is saying something".

Shop assistant Katarina Podmanicka from Zborov told AFP she expects Pelligrini to defend the people: "I know he fights for us, for Slovakia."

Other presidential candidates include pro-Kremlin former Supreme Court chief Stefan Harabin, far-right former lawmaker Marian Kotleba, and anti-graft ex-premier Igor Matovic.