Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico has made a shock go to to Moscow for talks with Vladimir Putin – turning into solely the third Western chief to satisfy the Russian chief for the reason that full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years in the past.
Fico – a vocal critic of the European Union’s assist for Kyiv within the warfare – stated they mentioned provides of Russian gasoline to Slovakia – which his nation depends on.
A cope with Russian gasoline large Gazprom to transit vitality by means of Ukraine to Slovakia is because of expire on the finish of this 12 months.
“Prime EU officers have been knowledgeable about my journey and its goal… on Friday,” Fico wrote on Fb.
Fico stated the assembly in Moscow was a response to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky telling EU leaders that Ukraine stays against Russian gasoline being piped by means of its territory.
The Slovakian PM, who survived being shot earlier this year, additionally stated he had a “lengthy dialog” with Putin and the 2 “exchanged views on the army state of affairs in Ukraine”.
Each mentioned “the probabilities of an early, peaceable finish of the warfare” and mutual relations between Russia and Slovakia, Fico wrote on Fb.
Slovakia and Hungary, which each rely on Russian gasoline, have raised considerations in regards to the prospect of provides being interrupted.
In October 2023, when Fico turned prime minister once more, he ended Slovakia’s military aid to Ukraine.
However, he has insisted he needs to be a “good, pleasant neighbour” to Ukraine.
Fico’s assembly with Putin got here because the leaders of Italy, Sweden, Greece and Finland met on Sunday for a safety summit.
Talking afterwards, Finland’s Prime Minister Petteri Orpo stated Russia was a “everlasting and harmful risk” to the EU.
He additionally burdened the necessity for elevated defence spending and assist for Ukraine.
