Slovakian opposition dismayed as leader meets with Putin in Moscow

Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico met Russian President Vladimir Putin in a previously unannounced visit to the Kremlin on Sunday for talks, Russian state media reported, leading to dismay among opposition lawmakers in Bratislava.

It was the first visit by an official representative from Slovakia to Russia since Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Trips to Moscow by leaders of any EU country have become increasingly rare.

Fico may have wanted to talk to Putin about natural gas supplies, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Little else has been offered about the subject of the talks.

Fico, often slammed by his opponents as “pro-Russian,” also plans to travel to Moscow in May 2025, having accepted an invitation to the World War II centennial commemorations on May 9, the Slovakian government said in November.

The Slovakian leader has frequently criticized European Union and NATO policy on Ukraine. Slovakia is a member of both organizations.

Slovakian opposition politicians responded to Fico’s trip with outrage. “The prime minister should discuss gas transit for Slovakia in Kiev,” said Michal Simecka, the leader of the largest opposition party, to the TASR news agency.

By travelling to see Putin, Fico is “only playing a dishonest game with his voters,” said the leader of the liberal Progressive Slovakia (PS). “And in doing so, he is betraying his own country and leading us step by step away from Europe.”

Even stronger words came from Branislav Gröhling, leader of the smaller liberal opposition party Freedom and Solidarity (SaS).

“Robert Fico is a disgrace for Slovakia. He is not behaving like the head of government of a sovereign country, but like an ordinary collaborator.” Fico does not speak for the entire Slovakian nation, Gröhling said.

Fico spent the preceding days trying in vain to avert the end of the transit of Russian gas to Slovakia, announced by Ukraine.

Slovakia potentially faces a deep crisis as it is completely dependent on Russian gas, with few alternatives, Fico has repeatedly said.

Slovakia had therefore been given permission by the EU to continue to purchase Russian gas. However, this EU approval is worthless for Bratislava as neighbouring Ukraine will no longer allow the transit of Russian gas as of the turn of the year.

That led to a difficult exchange between Fico and the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at a recent summit, both politicians confirmed.

Zelensky said while Slovakia only has economic problems, his country is losing human lives on a daily basis.

Slovakia shares a border with Ukraine. And Slovakia, unlike Hungary, has so far supported all of the EU’s aid packages for Ukraine, and all sanctions on Russia.

But left-wing populist Fico often publicly criticizes Western policy on Ukraine. He has repeatedly called on the EU to mediate a peace settlement instead of “prolonging the killing and destruction in Ukraine” by supplying weapons.

In relation to its population size, Slovakia was one of Ukraine’s most committed military supporters when the Kremlin launched its invasion.

When he returned to power in October 2023, Fico ended direct arms deliveries from army stocks. However, the Slovak arms industry continues to produce military goods for Ukraine on a commercial basis.