The conversation undoubtedly focused on Russian natural gas supplies to Slovakia, which will likely end next week. Ukraine is ceasing the transit of Russian gas through Ukrainian pipelines to Western Europe.

Unlike neighboring Hungary, Slovakia—which has been a member of both NATO and the European Union since 2004—has so far supported all sanctions against Russia. In sharp contrast, President Fico repeatedly draws attention with his public criticism of the EU and NATO’s Ukraine policies. 

The Slovak opposition reacted indignantly to the meeting at the Kremlin. The Prime Minister should be discussing the gas transit for Slovakia in Kiev, said the leader of the largest opposition party. “In doing so, he betrays his own country and is slowly leading us away from Europe.”

Visits by European top politicians to Moscow have become rare since the war began nearly three years ago. When Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) became the first Western head of government to meet Putin in Moscow a few weeks after the attack on Ukraine, he was sharply criticized. The unauthorized visit of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban was also not appreciated in Brussels, but it was less surprising given his known close ties to Moscow.

In the days before his meeting with Putin, Fico unsuccessfully attempted at the EU summit in Brussels to prevent Ukraine’s announced end to the transit of Russian gas to Slovakia. He emphasized that his country faces a serious crisis because it is fully dependent on Russian gas and has hardly any alternatives.

Slovakia had therefore obtained EU permission to continue buying Russian gas. However, this EU approval is practically worthless as Ukraine will no longer allow gas transit starting at the turn of the year.