Putin meets with Slovak Prime Minister in Moscow

Mr. Fico arrived in Russia for a “working visit” and met Mr. Putin face-to-face on Sunday evening, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Russian agency RIA. The latter specified that the discussions focused on “the international situation” and deliveries of Russian natural gas.

Visits and phone calls from European leaders to Mr. Putin have been rare since Moscow sent troops to Ukraine. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán visited Russia in July, and Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer met with the Russian leader a few weeks after the war began. These two visits were condemned by Kyiv and European leaders.

Mr. Orbán, widely seen as having the warmest relations with Mr. Putin among European leaders, has regularly blocked, delayed or watered down EU efforts to help Kyiv and impose sanctions on Moscow for its actions in Ukraine. He has long advocated for a cessation of hostilities in Ukraine, but without specifying what this might mean for the country's territorial integrity or its future security.

Mr. Fico's view on Russia's war against Ukraine differs sharply from that of most other European leaders. The Slovak prime minister returned to power last year after his left-wing SMER party won parliamentary elections on a pro-Russian, anti-American agenda.

He has since ended his country's military aid to Ukraine, tackled EU sanctions against Russia and pledged to block Ukraine from joining NATO.

Mr Fico was also one of the few high-ranking European politicians to appear on Russian state television following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. In an interview with Rossiya-1 channel in October, he said the West had “prolonged the war” by supporting Ukraine, adding that sanctions against Russia were ineffective. He said he was ready to negotiate with Mr. Putin.

He also promised to attend a military parade in Moscow next May, which will mark the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany's defeat in World War II.

The Kremlin has used annual “Victory Day” celebrations to tout its battlefield prowess, and Mr. Putin hailed Russian troops fighting in Ukraine as “heroes” at the event this year.