Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico Holds Talks with Vladimir Putin in Moscow

Robert Fico, the Prime Minister of Slovakia, undertook an unexpected trip to Moscow for discussions with Vladimir Putin. This makes him only the third Western head of government to engage with the Russian president since the comprehensive invasion of Ukraine commenced three years prior. Fico, known for his strong criticism of the European Union’s backing for Kyiv in the ongoing conflict, stated that their agenda included the provision of Russian gas to Slovakia, a commodity his nation depends on. An agreement with the Russian energy corporation Gazprom for the transit of gas via Ukraine to Slovakia is scheduled to conclude by the end of the current year, with Ukraine indicating it will not extend the arrangement. Fico asserted that Vladimir Putin has been “wrongly demonised” by Western nations. This visit represents a deviation from the European Union’s Common Security and Defence Policy, a framework that all member states are expected to uphold. Within this policy framework, the EU has implemented several rounds of sanctions targeting Russia since President Putin initiated the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, also considered an ally of Putin, and Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer are the only other figures who have diverged from their EU counterparts by journeying to Moscow. Fico communicated on Facebook that “Top EU officials were informed about my journey and its purpose… on Friday.” He further stated that Putin had affirmed his readiness to maintain gas supplies to Slovakia, though the Slovak leader acknowledged this would be “practically impossible” given Ukraine’s refusal to extend the gas transit agreement. Fico, who survived an assassination attempt earlier this year, also mentioned discussing “the possibilities of an early, peaceful end of the war” and the bilateral relationship between Russia and Slovakia. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, informed journalists that the situation was “complicated situation,” and added that Russian gas is “necessary for the normal operation” of the economies of some European nations. The visit by Fico has been met with disapproval by domestic opposition parties and by Slovakia’s neighboring EU and NATO ally, the Czech Republic. Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky commented that his government had achieved energy independence from Russia, and expressed his thoughts for Ukrainians unable to spend Christmas with their families due to Putin. In Bratislava, Michal Simecka of Progressive Slovakia asserted that Fico had rendered his nation a tool for the Russian leader’s propaganda, characterizing his journey as a “disgrace for Slovakia and a betrayal of national interests.” Erik Kalinak, an MEP representing Fico’s Smer party, defended the prime minister’s trip, stating that its sole purpose was to secure affordable gas imports for Slovakia. The visit also received defense from Environment Minister Tomas Taraba and the far-right Slovak National Party. Both Slovakia and Hungary, reliant on Russian gas, have voiced apprehensions regarding the potential interruption of supplies. Upon Fico’s return to the prime ministership in October 2023, he halted Slovakia’s military assistance to Ukraine. Nevertheless, he has maintained his desire to be a “good, friendly neighbour” to Kyiv. Fico’s discussions with Putin coincided with a security summit held on Sunday, attended by the leaders of Italy, Sweden, Greece, and Finland. Following the summit, Finland’s Prime Minister Petteri Orpo declared that Russia posed a “permanent and dangerous threat” to the EU. He additionally emphasized the necessity for augmented defense expenditure and continued support for Ukraine.