Moscow, December 23, 2024 – The Europe Today: Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico to the Kremlin on Sunday evening for discussions shrouded in speculation over their agenda.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov commented on the meeting, stating that the visit had been planned several days in advance. While Peskov refrained from disclosing specific topics, he acknowledged the possibility of addressing Russian gas supplies to Slovakia alongside other foreign policy matters. “We will have to wait until the end of the meeting,” Peskov added.
Hints of the visit surfaced on Saturday when Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić revealed that he had “unofficially learned” of Fico’s plans to meet with Putin. Vučić initially suggested the meeting would take place on Monday rather than Sunday.
The visit occurs against the backdrop of Slovakia’s ongoing negotiations for natural gas supplies in 2025. Earlier this month, Fico described these talks as “very intense.” The flow of Russian gas to Slovakia, which is heavily reliant on Moscow for energy, has been jeopardized by Ukraine’s decision not to extend its transit agreement with Russia, set to expire on December 31. Gas to Slovakia is primarily delivered through the Soviet-era Druzhba (“Friendship”) pipeline.
“I am confident that a solution can be found for [gas supplies] to several EU countries with gas transit via the territory of Slovakia and Ukraine maintained,” Fico stated recently.
Fico has emerged as one of the European Union’s most vocal critics of Western support for Ukraine. His government has ceased state military aid to Kyiv and has consistently urged the EU to lift sanctions against Russia, advocating for dialogue with Moscow once the conflict concludes.
The Slovak Prime Minister’s visit to Russia comes amid heightened personal security concerns. Fico, who survived an assassination attempt in May, revealed in October that a second attempt on his life was planned due to his controversial stance on the Ukraine conflict.
