Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Slovakia had offered to be a "platform" for possible peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, nearly three years since the launch of Moscow's offensive.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Slovakia had offered to be ... Putin told a press conference that Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico "said that if there are any negotiations, they would be happy to provide the country as a platform ...

Robert Fico meets with the Russian president amid concerns about his country's gas supplies, and at a time when Slovakia is withdrawing support for Ukraine's war effort.

"In a long conversation ... Putin and I exchanged views on the military situation in Ukraine, the possibilities of an early peaceful end to the war, and on mutual relations between the Slovak Republic and the Russian Federation,

Putin Meets Slovak PM Fico At Kremlin: Russian Television Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks at the Kremlin on Sunday with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, one of the few European leaders he has stayed friendly with since the eruption of hostilities with Ukraine, according to Russian television.

Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks in the Kremlin on Sunday with Slovakia’s prime minister, Robert Fico, in a rare visit to Moscow by an EU leader since the conflict between Russia and Ukraine began in 2022.

Slovakia’s prime minister, Robert Fico arrived in Russia on a “working visit” and met with Putin one-on-one on Sunday evening.

Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks in the Kremlin on Sunday with Slovakia’s prime minister, Robert Fico (shown here in Brussels in February 2024), in a rare visit to Moscow by an EU leader since Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. (Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico talk to each other during their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Monday blasted Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico over his reluctance to end his country's dependency on Russian gas, calling it a "big security issue" for Europe and saying Fico declined compensation.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico will travel to Moscow next week to hold talks on gas supplies with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Dec. 20.