Russia’s Putin holds talks with Slovakian PM Fico, in a rare visit to Moscow by an EU leader
Associated PressDEC 22 2024
Slovakia's PM Fico Meets Putin in Moscow
Above: Vladimir Putin (R) and Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico before their talks in Moscow on Dec. 22, 2024. Image copyright: Gavriil Grigorov/Contributor/Pool/AFP via Getty Images
The Facts
In a rare visit from an EU leader to the Kremlin since Russia's invasion of Ukraine nearly three years ago, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico met with Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Sunday.
Fico — who was elected on a pro-Russia, anti-US platform and survived a shooting suspected of being motivated by his views on Ukraine earlier in the year — said the visit was in response to remarks by Ukrainian Pres. Volodymyr Zelenskyy late last week.
At an EU leaders' summit in Brussels on Thursday, Zelenskyy said that Ukraine had no intention of renewing a five-year agreement — due to expire at the end of 2024 — that delivered Russian natural gas via Ukraine to Slovakia, Austria, and Hungary.
The Spin
Narrative A
This is just the third visit from an EU leader to Russia since its invasion of Ukraine in Feb. 2022 — demonstrating its global isolation since launching those actions. It was a disgrace as it betrayed Slovakia's national interests and violated the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy.
Narrative B
This was a welcome meeting after Russia's relationship with Slovakia deteriorated under its previous administration. Putin and Fico discussed energy supplies and how to improve their countries' relations further. There's no harm in being good to Kyiv yet securing cheap gas imports for Slovakia.
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