Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy regarding Ukraine’s EU membership, but will proceed with a planned trip to Moscow.
Fico Balances Relations with Kyiv and Moscow
The Slovak Prime Minister is attempting to simultaneously improve relations with Kyiv while maintaining a political course that has drawn criticism within the European Union for months. On Saturday, May 2nd, Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced he had spoken with Robert Fico about Ukraine’s membership in the EU and further contacts between Kyiv and Bratislava.
Reuters reported that Zelenskyy, following his conversation with Fico, emphasized the need for “strong relations” between Ukraine and Slovakia. The Ukrainian President highlighted the importance of hearing Slovakia’s support for Ukraine’s EU membership and its willingness to share its accession experience.
Zelenskyy and Fico Discuss Potential Meeting
“I invited the Prime Minister to visit Kyiv and thanked him for the invitation to Bratislava. We also discussed the possibility of a personal meeting in the near future. Our teams will work on scheduling it,” Zelenskyy wrote on X.
Contradictory Ukraine Policy
Robert Fico has declared support for Ukraine’s EU integration. However, for months, the Slovak Prime Minister has pursued a contradictory policy towards Ukraine, simultaneously declaring support for Kyiv’s integration into the European Union – as confirmed by Zelenskyy’s Saturday statement – while also criticizing sanctions against Russia, opposing Ukraine’s NATO membership, and ending Slovakia’s military aid to Kyiv upon returning to power.
The Associated Press notes that Fico stands out among most European leaders for his pro-Russian views and has not visited Kyiv since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Moscow Visit Scheduled Before European Summit
The Kyiv Independent points out that the conversation took place a week before Fico’s planned visit to Moscow for the May 9th celebrations. The portal also recalls that relations between the two politicians have been strained in recent months, partly due to a dispute over the “Friendship” oil pipeline.
A direct contact between the two politicians may occur before Fico’s visit to Russia. On Monday, May 4th, the eighth summit of the European Political Community will be held in Yerevan. The European Council informs that the meeting will bring together leaders from across the continent, with the main topics including democratic resilience, connectivity, and economic and energy security.
Fico Defies Brussels’ Warnings
The planned trip to Moscow is the biggest source of controversy. The Kremlin confirmed that the Slovak Prime Minister will participate in the Victory Day celebrations on May 9th. According to “The Moscow Times,” Vladimir Putin’s advisor, Yuri Ushakov, told Russian media that Fico is among the foreign guests invited to the celebrations.
EU diplomacy had previously warned European politicians against attending the Moscow celebrations. The head of EU diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, said that attendance at the May 9th events in Moscow “will not be taken lightly” in Europe, as Russia is waging a full-scale war on the continent. She also appealed to leaders to go to Kyiv instead of Moscow.
“No One Can Tell Me What to Do”
Fico rejected this criticism. “I will go to Moscow on May 9th,” he announced in a statement quoted by AP. He added, addressing Kallas, that he is the “legitimate Prime Minister of Slovakia, a sovereign country” and that “no one can tell him where to go and where not to go.” According to Fico, the trip to Moscow is a tribute to the soldiers of the Red Army and the victims of Nazism.
Moscow Prepares Parade Amidst War
Russian Victory Day celebrations have long been one of the most important elements of the Kremlin’s propaganda calendar. The AP recalls that Vladimir Putin presented Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine as “heroes” during last year’s celebrations.
This year’s parade will be held in a more limited format. “The Moscow Times,” citing the Russian Ministry of Defense and the Kremlin, reported that no military equipment will be featured in the parade. Russian authorities explain this by citing security concerns.
