Profitable contact: Fico is preparing for talks with Putin in Moscow
Robert Fico intends to hold a personal meeting with Vladimir Putin in May this year. The talks will be timed to coincide with the Slovak Prime Minister's trip to Moscow for the Victory Day Parade on May 9. This was reported to Izvestia by informed sources from the republic who are familiar with the preparations for this visit. The heads of state will discuss energy supplies from the Russian Federation against the background of Kiev's blocking of the Druzhba oil pipeline. Experts also believe that Bratislava's position in the EU will be a separate topic. After Viktor Orban's electoral defeat, Slovakia lost its ideological ally in Europe.
What will Fico and Putin discuss at the meeting in Moscow
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was the only EU politician who confirmed a visit to Moscow for the Victory Day Parade. In addition to organizing participation in the ceremonies, Moscow and Bratislava are working on the preparation of negotiations between the head of the Slovak government and the Russian president.
"Yes, Prime Minister [Robert Fico] will come [to Moscow for the Victory Day Parade], and there will be a meeting [with Vladimir Putin],— a Slovak source familiar with the preparations for the visit to Russia told Izvestia.
Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico in the Kremlin before the military parade dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Victory. May 9th, 2025
The second source, responding to a question from Izvestia about contacts between Putin and Fico, confirmed the May meeting of politicians in the Russian Federation.
— This year, a Slovak government delegation headed by Prime Minister Fico is going to Moscow to celebrate May 9. Of course, meetings with Russian politicians will take place," he said.
Peter Marcek, a former member of the Parliament of the Slovak Republic and chairman of the United Slavs party, is confident that the contact will take place.
— Robert Fico will definitely meet with Mr. President Putin. In my opinion, we have already agreed on this meeting according to protocol. He will fly to Moscow on May 8. Therefore, I can say 100% that there will be negotiations," the Slovak politician told Izvestia.
Tanker on loading at the berth of the oil loading terminal in the port of Novorossiysk
Izvestia sent a request to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Government of Slovakia.
According to Marcek, the main topic of the talks will be energy cooperation between Moscow and Bratislava. In particular, the leaders will discuss the continuation of oil and gas supplies from Russia to Slovakia and, possibly, new contracts in this area.
— Economic improvement is possible only with good relations with Russia. Who will sell us gas or oil for good prices? — said the Slovak politician.
Robert Fico has repeatedly criticized the European Union for the idea of completely abandoning gas and oil from Russia in the coming years. Thanks to the tough stance, Slovakia and Hungary were able to maintain a long-term gas contract with Gazprom until 2034.
The Kazachya compressor station, which is part of the gas pipeline system to ensure gas supplies for the Turkish Stream
Previously, supplies went through Ukraine, but after Kiev blocked the transfer in January 2025, the main shipments were redirected through the Turkish Stream. Starting from January 2026, a ban on spot purchases of gas from the Russian Federation came into force for all other EU countries. "Russian gas is the most economically profitable for us, so we give it priority," Michal Lalik, Director of Trade at the state—owned company Slovak Gas Industry (SPP), said earlier.
Bratislava adheres to a similar position regarding Russian oil, which it receives through the Druzhba pipeline. After Kiev suspended pumping through this route, the Slovak government, on the initiative of Fico, terminated the agreement on emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine. An alternative to Druzhba could be the delivery of oil by tanker through the Adriatic and Croatia, but this option would cost 30% more and require additional investments. Thus, Russian supplies through Druzhba remain a vital route for the Slovak economy.
Today, the topic of energy cooperation is the only thing that strongly binds Russia and Slovakia, says Mikhail Vedernikov, a leading researcher at the Central and Eastern European Research Department at the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Druzhba oil pipeline pumping station
"Slovakia would have abandoned Russian energy resources long ago, but the country's geostrategic position dictates the need for cooperation with the Russian Federation due to the lack of equivalent alternatives," he told Izvestia.
He agrees that this topic will be the focus of future negotiations. Although, of course, their participants will not be able to ignore the Ukrainian conflict. Slovakia is one of the EU countries that has repeatedly criticized the sanctions policy of Brussels and the desire of Western allies to pump Kiev with weapons to confront the Russian Federation. Hungary has always been another supporter of a diplomatic solution to the Ukrainian crisis.
Could Orban's loss affect Slovakia's position
Nevertheless, over the weekend, Bratislava lost its ideological ally in Europe, Hungary, in the person of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, whose Fidesz party was soundly defeated. The leader of the victorious Tisa party, Peter Magyar, publicly advocates improving relations with the EU and promises to end Budapest's dependence on Russian energy resources by 2035. Although, apparently, the future prime minister stressed that Hungary would still continue to buy oil from Russia. In addition, he supports the country's right to refuse to participate in granting Ukraine a loan of €90 billion and opposes Kiev's accelerated accession to the EU.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban during a welcoming ceremony in Bratislava. January 21st, 2025
Nevertheless, Orban's defeat may still break up the Slovakia–Hungary tandem.
— Slovakia was left alone after yesterday's elections in Hungary. It was a huge shock for us yesterday that Orban lost," admits Peter Marcek.
Budapest and Bratislava could block EU sanctions or resolutions by covering for each other. At the same time, Orban often acted as the main "shield" for Slovakia, which, unlike Hungary, did not go into open confrontation with Brussels. For example, Hungary vetoed the loan to Ukraine, while Slovakia did not take such actions, only verbally supporting its ally, Egor Sergeev, a senior researcher at the MGIMO Center for European Studies at the Russian Foreign Ministry, told Izvestia.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban at a rally after the defeat of his FIDESZ -Hungarian Civil Union party in the parliamentary elections
— With the change of power in Hungary, Bratislava is unlikely to have many incentives to act radically towards Brussels. This is facilitated by a more vulnerable economy, a smaller population, and a clearly less active and vibrant foreign policy. And Fico himself is less active and courageous than the more experienced and hardened Orban," the expert believes.
Slovakia's well-being largely depends on financial revenues from the EU and investments from European businesses, which have massively placed their production facilities here. In this regard, the country, despite its combative rhetoric and declared readiness to fight with Brussels, has no real tools and opportunities to stand alone against other countries of the association, Mikhail Vedernikov noted.
Vladimir Putin and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico during a meeting in Beijing. September 2, 2025
— Slovakia's independent demarches are hardly to be expected — and it is obvious that after Orban's defeat, the Druzhba pipeline will soon be operational, — the expert is sure.
Brussels may limit the allocation of funds from European funds, which the country badly needs to finance social benefits. "There is always an opportunity to withdraw European funds from them. If necessary, we will deal with it," German Chancellor Friedrich Merz threatened Bratislava earlier.
Bratislava's further position in the EU will certainly be discussed at a meeting with Vladimir Putin in Moscow on May 9, Vadim Trukhachev, associate professor at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, told Izvestia.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
