Headline: Slovakia’s Fico Meets Putin; Third Western Leader after Ukraine Invasion
Robert Fico, Slovakia’s prime minister, has become the third Western leader to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin since the invasion of Ukraine, following visits by the leaders of France and Italy. The unexpected meeting took place on Friday, as reported by British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
The Slovakian leader traveled to Moscow and held discussions with Putin. Fico, a vocal critic of the European Union’s support for Ukraine in the ongoing conflict, stated that they discussed the potential for Russia to resume gas supplies to Slovakia. An agreement between Russia’s state-owned gas company Gazprom and Slovakia for the transit of energy through Ukraine is set to expire at the end of this year.
Fico claimed that he had informed top EU officials about his trip and its purpose on Friday. The Slovakian premier wrote on his Facebook page that the leaders of the European Union and its member states were informed about his visit and its objective.
Russia’s state-run media reported that the meeting between Fico and Putin took place at the Kremlin. However, no official statements or details about the talks have been released by either the Russian or Slovakian leadership.
On Sunday, leaders from Italy, Sweden, Greece, and Finland met in Stockholm for a security summit. Following the meeting, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo warned of the "permanent and dangerous threat" that Russia poses to the European Union.
Robert Fico, a left-wing politician, previously served as Slovakia’s prime minister from 2012 to 2018. He returned to power in November 2023, following his Smer – Social Democracy party’s victory in the parliamentary elections. Despite advocating for closer ties with Moscow, Fico has maintained that Slovakia will continue to support Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
In recent months, Slovakia has faced domestic political tension due to allusions made by the country’s far-right president, Zuzana Čaputová, suggesting that Ukraine should cede some territories to Russia to end the conflict. This Statement led to backlash from the opposition and protests from citizens who support Ukraine’s sovereignty.
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