Slovak PM Fico Meets Putin in Rare EU Visit as Gas Deal Nears Expiry

Dec 22, 2024, 05:06 PM

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Sunday, December 22, 2024, to discuss issues including the impending halt of Russian natural gas transit through Ukraine to Slovakia and other European countries. The current gas transit agreement between Russia and Ukraine is set to expire on January 1, 2025, which could disrupt gas supplies to Slovakia and other parts of Europe. The meeting, held at the Kremlin in a one-on-one format, was unannounced, marking a rare visit by a European Union leader to Russia since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Fico is only the second EU leader to meet with Putin since the conflict began, after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the visit was arranged a few days prior and indicated that discussions could involve the international agenda and Russian gas transit. The talks have drawn attention due to the sensitive timing and ongoing tensions between Russia and the EU over the conflict in Ukraine.