Slovakia-Russia relations: Fico on talks with Putin in the Kremlin

Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico met Russian President Vladimir Putin unannounced at the Kremlin on Sunday. This was reported by Russian state television. It is the first trip by an official representative of the Slovak Republic to Russia since its attack on Ukraine in February 2022. According to unconfirmed reports, Fico was only expected in Moscow in the coming days.

There was initially no official information about the content of the discussions. Fico may have wanted to talk to Putin about natural gas deliveries, suggested Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

The Slovak Prime Minister, who is often criticized by his opponents as “pro-Russian,” also wants to travel to Moscow next spring. The government office in Bratislava announced at the end of November that he had accepted an invitation to the World War commemoration on May 9, 2025.

Fico is considered a critic of the EU and NATO’s Ukraine policy

The EU and NATO country Slovakia borders directly on Ukraine. Unlike Hungary, Slovakia has so far supported all aid to Ukraine decided by the EU as well as all sanctions against Russia without exception. In striking contrast, the left-wing populist Fico repeatedly attracts attention through his public criticism of the EU and NATO’s Ukraine policy. He repeatedly called on the EU to broker peace instead of “prolonging the killing and destruction in Ukraine” through arms deliveries.

In terms of population, Slovakia was one of its most committed military supporters after the start of the Russian invasion of its neighboring country. After returning to government in October 2023, Fico ended direct arms deliveries from army stocks. However, the Slovak defense industry continues to produce military goods for Ukraine on a commercial basis.