InternationalNews
Putin Receives Slovak Prime Minister at the Kremlin
Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico to the Kremlin on Sunday, a rare visit by one of the few European leaders who has remained close to Russia, according to footage broadcasted by Russian television.
According to the French Press Agency, Russian television journalist Pavel Zarubin, close to the Kremlin, wrote on Telegram that “Putin is currently meeting with Slovak Prime Minister Fico at the Kremlin.” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that this unannounced visit had been planned “a few days ago.”
Putin and Fico are holding bilateral talks, according to the Russian news agency TASS. Peskov did not specify the topics on the agenda but suggested that the issue of Russian gas transit could be discussed. Last summer, Ukraine announced it would not renew its gas transit contract with Moscow, set to expire at the end of 2024.
In recent weeks, Slovakia and Hungary, both heavily reliant on Russian gas, have condemned this decision, which would completely cut off their gas supply by the end of the year, with no immediate reliable alternatives. Fico, who heads Slovakia’s government, a member of both the EU and NATO, has decided to halt all military aid to Ukraine and, like his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orbán, has called for peace talks with Russia.
Fico also announced in November that he would travel to Moscow in May to attend the 80th anniversary celebrations of the victory over Nazi Germany.
