Slovak Robert Fico met with Vladimir Putin during a surprise visit to Moscow

Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico made a surprise visit to Moscow for talks with Vladimir Putin – becoming only the third Western leader to meet a Russian leader since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years ago.

Fico – a critic of the EU’s support for Kiev in the war – said they discussed Russian gas supplies to Slovakia, which his country relies on.

The contract with the Russian gas giant Gazprom for the transit of energy carriers through Ukraine to Slovakia expires at the end of this year.

“Senior EU officials were informed of my trip and its purpose… on Friday,” Fizzo wrote on Facebook.

Fico said the meeting in Moscow was a reaction to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky telling EU leaders that Ukraine remains opposed to Russian gas being delivered through its territory.

Prime Minister of Slovakia, who survived the shooting earlier this yearalso said that he had a “long conversation” with Putin and both “exchanged views on the military situation in Ukraine.”

The two discussed “the possibility of a quick peaceful end to the war” and relations between Russia and Slovakia, Fico wrote on Facebook.

Slovakia and Hungary, which depend on Russian gas, have expressed concern over the prospect of supply disruptions.

In October 2023, when Fizo became Prime Minister again, he stopped Slovakia’s military aid to Ukraine.

But he insisted that he wants to be a “good, friendly neighbor” of Ukraine.

Fico’s meeting with Putin came as the leaders of Italy, Sweden, Greece and Finland met on Sunday for a security summit.

Speaking afterwards, Finnish Prime Minister Peteri Orpa said Russia was a “constant and dangerous threat” to the EU.

He also emphasized the need to increase spending on defense and support of Ukraine.