Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on an unannounced visit to the Kremlin on Sunday for talks, Russian state media said, sparking outrage among anti-Britaislav lawmakers.
It was the first visit by an official Slovak representative to Russia since Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Visits to Moscow by leaders of any EU country have become increasingly rare. .
Fico may have wanted to talk to Putin about natural gas supplies, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Little else was offered about the subject of the talks.
Fico, often criticized by his opponents as “pro-Russian”, also plans to travel to Moscow in May 2025, after accepting an invitation to the World War II centenary commemorations on May 9, the government said. Slovakia in November.
The leader of Slovakia has often criticized the policy of the European Union and NATO on Ukraine. Slovakia is a member of both groups.
Slovakian opposition politicians responded to Fico's visit with outrage. “The prime minister should talk about the transfer of gas to Slovakia in Kiev,” Michal Simecka, leader of the largest opposition party, told the TASR news agency.
By traveling to see Putin, Fico is “only playing a dishonest game with his voters,” said the leader of Liberal Progressive Slovakia (PS). “And by doing this, he is betraying his own country and leading us step by step away from Europe.”
Even stronger words came from Branislav Gröhling, leader of the smaller liberal opposition party Freedom and Solidarity (SaS).
“Robert Fico is a disgrace to Slovakia. He does not behave like the head of government of a sovereign country, but like an ordinary colleague.” Fico does not speak for the whole country of Slovakia, said Gröhling.
Fico spent the previous days trying in vain to stop the transfer of Russian gas to Slovakia, which Ukraine declared.
There could be a major crisis in Slovakia because it is completely dependent on Russian gas, with few other options, Fico has reiterated.
So Slovakia had received permission from the EU to continue buying Russian gas. However, this agreement from the EU has no value for Bratislava because the neighboring Ukraine will not allow the transfer of Russian gas at the beginning of the year.
That led to a difficult exchange between Fico and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at a recent summit, both politicians confirmed.
Zelensky said that although Slovakia only has economic problems, his country is losing people's lives every day.
Slovakia shares a border with Ukraine. And Slovakia, unlike Hungary, has so far supported the EU aid packages for Ukraine, and all sanctions on Russia.
But left-wing populist Fico often publicly criticizes Western policy on Ukraine. He has repeatedly called on the EU to negotiate a peace settlement instead of “extending the killing and destruction in Ukraine” by providing weapons.
In terms of population size, Slovakia was one of Ukraine's most enthusiastic military supporters when the Kremlin launched the offensive.
When he returned to power in October 2023, Fico ended the delivery of weapons directly from the army stock. However, the Slovak military industry continues to export military goods to Ukraine on a commercial basis.
Russian President Vladimir Putin greeted the Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico (L), before their meeting. -/Kremlin Press Office/dpa
