Slovak PM Fico Declines May 9 Parade, Plans Brief Meeting with Putin

Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico will not attend the Victory Day parade on May 9 during his visit to Moscow due to the ongoing Ukrainian conflict.

Photo: Slovakia government website

Robert Fico

Earlier, during a visit to Yerevan, Fico stated that he would travel to Moscow for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but would not take part in the military parade marking the 81st anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War.

"I will lay flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier of the Red Army to express gratitude on behalf of the Slovak people for the liberation, and I will have a short meeting with Putin. That's all. I am not going to the military parade,” he said.

Visit Sparks Criticism in the European Union

Fico also commented on pressure from Western countries regarding his trip to the Russian capital amid the conflict in Ukraine.

"I will not allow myself to be forced into feeling any sense of guilt,” he said.

Plans for the visit triggered criticism within the European Union. On April 18, Lithuania and Latvia announced they would not permit Fico's government aircraft to fly over their territory en route to Moscow. Estonia made a similar decision on April 19, a move welcomed by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.

Fico Responds to Baltic States

In response, Fico sharply criticized the decision by the Baltic states.

"I don't know what they teach you in school, but you should know that 60,000 Red Army soldiers died in Slovakia. If tens of thousands of people died liberating our country, is it really such a problem that I go to lay carnations at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier?” he said.

According to Fico, the visit is intended as a tribute to the Red Army and does not carry a political motive. This explains his decision to skip the Victory Day parade while still proceeding with the trip.