(Bloomberg) — Russia-friendly Prime Minister Robert Fico, a staunch opponent of military aid to Ukraine, will cement his grip on power after his ally won the presidential election in Slovakia.

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Peter Pellegrini, a former premier and member of Fico’s ruling coalition, secured 53.1% of the vote, beating Ivan Korcok, a pro-European Union diplomat, according to the official tally published early on Sunday.

Since returning to power last year, Fico has triggered public criticism and scrutiny from the EU for his decisions to curb the fight against corruption, suppress independent media and challenge EU and NATO allies over support for Ukraine. The presidential victory would ease his path to approving legislation and appointments of key public officials.

During the campaign, Pellegrini accused Korcok, who advocated for supporting Kyiv, of wanting to drag the country into war. The new head of state will now represent Slovakia at the meetings of leaders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

“I’ll do everything to ensure that Slovakia remains on the side of peace and not war, and let anyone criticize me for it if they want,” Pellegrini told reporters in Bratislava after announcing his victory.

As a parliament speaker, Pellegrini has also played a crucial role in pushing through Fico’s contested judicial overhaul, which has raised alarm in the EU. He signaled on Sunday his support for prime minister will continue.

“The government can count on that — as long as it fulfills its program — it doesn’t have to fear that the presidential palace will become an opposition center harming the cabinet, as it was in the past,” he said.

Zuzana Caputova, the current officeholder and standard-bearer of Slovakia’s anti-corruption movement, moved to stop some of Fico’s more controversial proposals. She submitted his contentious criminal-law overhaul in February to the country’s top court, which has yet to issue a ruling.

Pellegrini succeeded Fico as prime minister in 2018, when the Slovak leader was forced to resign amid mass protests following the killing of a journalist investigating corruption in the EU member state.

Amid the public outrage, Pellegrini left Fico’s Smer party and led his own group, known as Voice, in last year’s parliamentary election. He joined Fico’s coalition in October, three months after he told Bloomberg that couldn’t imagine “sitting together in the same government” with the Smer leader. He campaigned with a more EU-friendly agenda, supporting military aid to Ukraine. But after Fico’s victory, he abandoned those positions.

Pellegrini began his political career in 2002 as an assistant to a Smer’s lawmaker. He was elected a member of parliament in 2006, and since then, his ascent within the political sphere has been notable. He acted as a deputy finance minister, education minister, parliament speaker, deputy prime minister for investment, and prime minister.

His trajectory, marked by nearly two decades of unwavering allegiance to Robert Fico and Smer party, earned him among his critics the moniker of a “yes-man.”

(Updates with a comment in the fifth paragraph.)

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