Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has announced a series of meetings with the presidents of Russia and Ukraine, amid a geopolitical repositioning of his government. He is scheduled to meet with Vladimir Putin in China on September 3 during official events commemorating Japan’s surrender in World War II. Two days later, he will host Volodymyr Zelensky in Bratislava.
This initiative comes just months after Fico publicly stated there was “no reason” for a meeting with Zelensky. The Slovak leader had even claimed his Ukrainian counterpart “hated him”. Confirmation of this meeting marks a clear change in tone in bilateral relations, after Bratislava froze military aid to Ukraine following Fico’s return to power in 2023.
Bilateral talks on sidelines of Chinese celebrations
Fico’s visit to Beijing will also include scheduled talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In his national Constitution Day address, Fico said he would be the only European Union head of government attending the Chinese military parade commemorating the end of the Asian conflict in 1945. He expressed regret over this, without commenting on the absence of his European counterparts.
European Union High Representative Kaja Kallas has been officially informed of the trip. No details were provided regarding the content of the meetings with the Russian and Chinese leaders, but the geopolitical nature of these discussions is expected to attract attention from Slovakia’s partners in the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
International positioning and multipolar rhetoric
Since returning to office, Robert Fico has altered his country’s foreign policy, repeatedly criticising the European Union’s sanctions against Russia. He also halted the delivery of military equipment to Kyiv and condemned what he considers Brussels’ unilateral stance in the Ukraine conflict. In his address, he stated that the world is witnessing the emergence of a “new multipolar order”, a term frequently used by Russian authorities to support their diplomatic strategy.
This direct reference to a multipolar world aligns with messaging from Moscow since the start of its offensive against Ukraine. For Slovakia’s Western allies, these positions risk blurring the country’s strategic commitments within the European and transatlantic frameworks.
