Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Friday ahead of Russia’s annual Victory Day military parade, commemorating the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.
Fico was the sole European Union leader to attend the celebrations, a move that drew swift condemnation from EU officials who accused him of undermining European solidarity with Ukraine. Putin also welcomed Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić at the Kremlin shortly before the parade began on Red Square.
The visit, marking the 80th anniversary of the Allied victory, comes as Russia’s war in Ukraine continues with no end in sight. While dozens of foreign dignitaries attended the ceremony, including China’s President Xi Jinping, representatives from EU member states boycotted the event in protest of Russia’s ongoing aggression. Instead, they gathered in Ukraine alongside President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to honor victims of the war and discuss the establishment of a tribunal for alleged Russian war crimes.
Fico’s journey to Moscow faced logistical challenges after Lithuania, Poland, and other Baltic countries closed their airspace to the Slovak and Serbian delegations in protest. The prime minister was forced to reroute his flight.
His presence in Moscow also sparked demonstrations at home. Hundreds gathered in Slovakia’s capital, Bratislava, chanting slogans such as “Slovakia is Europe” and “We’ve had enough of Fico.” Protest organizers emphasized that the prime minister does not represent the views of the Slovak public.
The visit added to a growing wave of domestic unrest over Fico’s increasingly pro-Russian and Eurosceptic stance. Since regaining power in 2023, Fico and his Smer party have drawn criticism for opposing military aid to Ukraine, promoting anti-American rhetoric, and threatening Slovakia’s NATO membership.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, speaking from Lviv, Ukraine, labeled Fico’s actions as aligning “on the wrong side of history.” She stated that leaders committed to freedom and European values should have been in Ukraine, not Moscow. “How can you stand side by side with this guy?” she asked, referring to Putin.
Fico responded via Facebook, claiming his trip was intended to honor Soviet soldiers who died liberating Slovakia during World War II. “My visit had no connection to Russia’s aggression in Ukraine,” he wrote, adding that Kallas had “absolutely no right to criticize the sovereign prime minister of a sovereign country.”
In a meeting with Putin on Saturday, Fico reiterated his desire for “pragmatic relations” with Russia. Russian state media reported that Putin praised the Slovak leader for making the trip despite “logistical obstacles” imposed by EU nations. Fico dismissed the airspace restrictions as a “childish joke.”
Fico remains one of the few European leaders maintaining open ties with the Kremlin. Alongside Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, he has consistently challenged EU efforts to support Ukraine, opposing sanctions on Moscow and blocking military assistance.