Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico announced on Monday, 4 May, that he would not attend the military parade during his visit to Moscow on 9 May. Fico is scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin during this trip. After participating in the European Political Community summit in Yerevan, he informed journalists that he would skip the military parade. “I will lay flowers at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier of the Red Army and have a brief meeting with President Putin. That’s it. I am not participating in any military parade,” Fico stated.
Last week, the Kremlin officially confirmed that Fico would be one of the distinguished guests at the Moscow parade on 9 May. In mid-April, Fico formally requested permission from Poland to fly to Moscow after the Baltic nations had denied such permission, Maciej Wewiór, a spokesperson for the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed. The Baltic countries have reaffirmed their position by refusing to grant transit rights for Fico’s travel to Moscow, as they did the previous year.
This year’s parade will notably be held without military equipment for the first time in nearly two decades, due to concerns about potential attacks from long-range Ukrainian drones. Additionally, cadets from military schools and youth military institutions will not take part in the event. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Victory Day parades have been scaled back, featuring more modest military displays and fewer foreign attendees. The previous year, which marked the 80th anniversary of the event, was an exception, attracting at least 27 heads of state and showcasing a full display of tanks, rocket launchers, and drones in Red Square.
It is also worth noting that Fico met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday during the Yerevan summit. In their discussion, the Slovak leader reiterated his support for Ukraine’s path toward European Union membership. The two leaders agreed to prepare a joint meeting of the governments of Kyiv and Bratislava to strengthen bilateral relations. “We have agreed to hold a joint meeting of governments at the end of June, which will take place in either Bratislava or Kyiv,” Fico said in a statement, emphasising that this format of discussions would lead to “concrete results,” such as the creation of transport links between the two countries. “We are neighbours; we must maintain good relations,” the Slovak Prime Minister noted.
On 3 May, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke by phone with Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico. During this conversation, they discussed Ukraine’s accession to the European Union. Zelenskyy remarked after the call that Fico, who previously opposed Ukraine’s EU aspirations, now supports Ukraine’s accession to the EU and is willing to share Slovakia’s experiences with Ukraine.
