Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico announced Wednesday that he will travel to Moscow on May 9 of next year, to attend the 80th anniversary commemorations of the Soviet victory over Nazism during World War II.
Fico had previously indicated he would attend the commemoration, but he has now received and accepted the official invitation.
Fico wrote in a Facebook post, “It is natural that as prime minister of the Republic of Slovakia I have an eminent interest in participating in the official celebrations of the victory over fascism, which will take place on May 9, 2025, in Moscow.” He emphasized Slovakia’s commitment to “the legacy of the struggle against fascism, the historical truth of the Second World War, and the role played by the Red Army. I was therefore pleased to accept the official invitation of the President of the Russian Federation V. Putin to participate in these important celebrations, which I will do.”
Since returning to office on October 25 of last year, Fico’s government has opposed and halted Slovakia’s military aid to Ukraine, and called for peace talks with Russia, aligning with Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. At the same time, Reuters reports Nov. 27, “the Slovak government office said on Wednesday [Nov. 27] Fico had spoken by telephone with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and that most of the call had focused on the war in Ukraine, which shares a border with Slovakia.”
