Slovak opposition condemns Fico's meeting with Putin in Moscow

The Slovak opposition party Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) criticized Prime Minister Robert Fico for his meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Moscow, stating that the head of government does not speak on behalf of the entire Slovak nation.

This was reported on the party's website.

"Robert Fico is a disgrace to Slovakia. Negotiating anything with Putin, whose hands are covered in blood, is not only a betrayal of our country and its foreign policy direction but also a betrayal of our EU and NATO allies. Robert Fico acts not as the leader of a sovereign country but as a common collaborator," said SaS leader Branislav Gröhling.

He also emphasized that Slovakia has now "found itself in international isolation."

"We send a message to Vladimir Putin and all pro-Russian politicians that Robert Fico does not speak for the entire nation," Gröhling added.

The statement emphasizes that the Freedom and Solidarity party "strongly condemns Robert Fico's negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who bears personal responsibility for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of civilians."

• Earlier, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić announced that on December 23, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico would meet with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin amid Ukraine's refusal to continue Russian gas transit through its territory.
• On December 22, Fico met with Putin, stating that his trip to Moscow was in response to the suspension of Russian gas transit to Slovakia via Ukraine. 
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy commented on the Fico-Putin meeting, stating that for "discounts," Bratislava pays with sovereignty or shadow schemes.