BRATISLAVA, December 23. /TASS/. Slovak President Peter Pellegrini expects the country’s Prime Minister Robert Fico to brief him on the outcome of his talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, the TASR news agency reported, citing the Slovak presidential office.

According to the media outlet, Pellegrini believes that Fico’s visit to Russia is not a political step "that could cause significant damage to Slovakia’s image in the eyes of the European Union and NATO." According to the Slovak president, the talks between Fico and Putin during the conflict in Ukraine "have extremely huge importance in terms of foreign policy."

Meanwhile, the head of state noted that "it is definitely the prime minister’s duty to defend Slovakia's national interests, ensuring oil and gas supplies to the country and its partners through the pipelines crossing Ukraine, as well as nuclear fuel supplies."

Fico’s visit to Russia

Fico made a working trip to Russia on December 22. Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted him at the Kremlin. He and Fico held a one-on-one conversation. This was their first in-person meeting since 2016.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said earlier that the Slovak premier was going to hold talks with Putin following Vladimir Zelensky’s refusal to extend gas transit via Ukraine.

Slovakia is one of the few European Union countries that continues to purchase gas from Russia. Gas is transported through Ukraine. The transit deal expires on December 31. The Kiev authorities announced earlier that they would not extend the deal. Fico pointed to the possibility of "a serious conflict" with Ukraine in case Kiev ended Russian gas transit.