Slovak PM meets Putin in surprise Moscow visit

Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico has made a astonishment sojourn to Moscow for talks with Vladimir Putin - becoming lone the 3rd Western person to conscionable the Russian person since the full-scale penetration of Ukraine 3 years ago.

Fico - a vocal professional of the European Union's enactment for Kyiv successful the warfare - said they discussed supplies of Russian state to Slovakia - which his state relies on.

A woody with Russian state elephantine Gazprom to transit vigor done Ukraine to Slovakia is owed to expire astatine the extremity of this year.

"Top EU officials were informed astir my travel and its purpose... connected Friday," Fico wrote connected Facebook.

Fico said the gathering successful Moscow was a absorption to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky telling EU leaders that Ukraine remains opposed to Russian state being piped done its territory.

The Slovakian PM, who survived being changeable earlier this year, besides said helium had a "long conversation" with Putin and the 2 "exchanged views connected the subject concern successful Ukraine".

Both discussed "the possibilities of an early, peaceful extremity of the war" and communal relations betwixt Russia and Slovakia, Fico wrote connected Facebook.

Slovakia and Hungary, which some beryllium connected Russian gas, person raised concerns astir the imaginable of supplies being interrupted.

In October 2023, erstwhile Fico became premier curate again, he ended Slovakia's subject assistance to Ukraine.

But, helium has insisted helium wants to beryllium a "good, affable neighbour" to Ukraine.

Fico's gathering with Putin came arsenic the leaders of Italy, Sweden, Greece and Finland met connected Sunday for a information summit.

Speaking afterwards, Finland's Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said Russia was a "permanent and unsafe threat" to the EU.

He besides stressed the request for accrued defence spending and enactment for Ukraine.