BRATISLAVA, December 23. /TASS/. Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico’s visit to Russia, during which he met Russian President Vladimir Putin, is a total slap in Zelensky’s face, former Slovak National Council (parliament) Deputy Speaker Lubos Blaha, a member of the European Parliament, said.

"Zelensky could not have received a better slap in the face for his arrogance," he wrote on his Telegram channel on Sunday, when commenting on the Slovak president’s trip, also noting that Putin is a government leader well worth meeting.

The MEP said that Fico stands for Slovak interests in Russia, "even in spite of the warmongers in Brussels." According to him, the Slovak leader showcased to the entire world that "Slovakia is not to be wiped the floor with by anyone" with his visit to Russia.

"Russia is not our enemy, we are not at war; on the contrary, most of the Slovak people are very sympathetic towards Russia. No other country sacrificed so much to the fight against the Western European fascism in World War II. It was precisely this sacrifice by the Russian people and other peoples of the USSR that allowed us to gain the most crucial things - freedom and peace. It is quite natural that residents of Slovakia unaffected by the Western military propaganda have a high regard for Russia," the politician emphasized, commenting on the nature of Russia-Slovakia relations.

Fico’s visit to Russia

On December 22, Fico went on a working visit to Moscow, being received by the Russian president at the Kremlin. Their talks were held privately. This was Putin’s first personal meeting with Fico since 2016.

Earlier, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said that Fico was intending to hold talks with Putin following Vladimir Zelensky’s refusal to continue gas transit via Ukraine.

Slovakia is among the small group of EU members still buying gas from Russia. Its transit is conducted through Ukraine. The transit deal expires on December 31. Kiev earlier stated that the country would not extend it. The Slovak president said that there would possibly be a "serious conflict" with Ukraine in the event of a halt of the gas transit.