Slovakia’s Robert Fico meets Vladimir Putin in surprise Moscow visit

Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico made a surprise visit to Moscow for talks with Vladimir Putin – becoming the third Western leader to meet a Russian leader since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years ago.

Fico – a vocal opponent of the European Union’s aid to Kyiv in the war – said he discussed Russian gas in Slovakia – on which his country depends.

The contract with the gas giant Gazprom to transfer energy from Ukraine to Slovakia expires at the end of this year.

“The EU authorities were informed of my visit and its purpose … on Friday,” Fico wrote on Facebook.

Fico said the meeting in Moscow was the result of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky telling EU leaders that Ukraine was against Russian gas passing through its territory.

Slovak PM, who survived the shooting earlier this yearhe also said that he had a “long conversation” with Putin and the two “exchanged views on the military situation in Ukraine”.

Both sides discussed “the possibility of an end, a peaceful end to the war” and the relationship between Russia and Slovakia, Fico wrote on Facebook.

Slovakia and Hungary, both dependent on Russian gas, have raised concerns about the prospect of a crisis.

In October 2023, after Fico became prime minister again, ended Slovakia’s military aid to Ukraine.

But, he stressed that he wants to be a “good, friendly neighbor” to Ukraine.

Fico’s meeting with Putin came as the leaders of Italy, Sweden, Greece and Finland met on Sunday for a security summit.

Speaking later, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said Russia was a “permanent and dangerous threat” to the EU.

He also stressed the need to increase defense spending and aid to Ukraine.