BEESlovak Prime Minister Robert Fico made a shock go to to Moscow for talks with Vladimir Putin, changing into the third Western chief to satisfy the Russian chief because the full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years in the past.
Fico – a vital critic of the European Union’s assist for Kiev within the warfare – mentioned they mentioned the provision of Russian fuel to Slovakia – which his nation depends on.
The take care of Russian fuel large Gazprom to transit power via Ukraine to Slovakia is about to run out on the finish of this yr.
“Senior EU officers have been knowledgeable of my journey and its function… on Friday,” Fico wrote on Facebook.
However, the go to was obtained negatively by opposition events at dwelling and by the Czech Republic, Slovakia’s neighbor and a NATO and EU ally.
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky mentioned his authorities has secured power independence from Russia and is pondering of Ukrainians who can not spend Christmas with their family members due to Putin.
In Bratislava, Michal Simecka of progressive Slovakia mentioned Fico had made his nation a instrument for the Russian chief’s propaganda and that his journey was “a disgrace for Slovakia and a betrayal of nationwide pursuits.”
The Slovak prime minister mentioned the assembly in Moscow was a response to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky telling EU leaders that Ukraine stays against Russian fuel being piped via its territory.
Fig, who survived the shooting earlier this yearhe additionally mentioned he had a “lengthy dialog” with Putin and that the 2 “exchanged views on the army scenario in Ukraine”.
Both mentioned “the probabilities of a fast and peaceable finish to the warfare” and mutual relations between Russia and Slovakia, Fico wrote on Facebook.
Slovakia and Hungary, which each depend on Russian fuel, have expressed concern on the prospect of a provide disruption.
In October 2023, when Fico turned prime minister once more, ended Slovakia’s military aid to Ukraine.
But he insisted he wished to be a “good and pleasant neighbor” to Kiev.
Fico’s assembly with Putin got here because the leaders of Italy, Sweden, Greece and Finland met for a safety summit on Sunday.
Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo later mentioned that Russia posed a “everlasting and harmful risk” to the EU.
He additionally pressured the necessity to improve protection spending and assist Ukraine.
