EU state’s PM urges commemoration of Soviet fight against Nazis

Slovakia’s Robert Fico plans to attend the annual Victory Day commemoration in Moscow next May

Slovak citizens should remember that the liberation of their country from Nazism came from the East, Prime Minister Robert Fico has said, stressing that the Soviet Union and the Red Army played a decisive role in the process.

The comment comes a week after Fico announced having accepted an invitation from Russian President Vladimir Putin to travel to Moscow in May 2025, a move that has sparked significant backlash from Slovak politicians and EU lawmakers.

“I have received an invitation from Moscow to participate in the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Victory over Nazism and the end of World War II, and I accepted this invitation with gratitude,” the prime minister said on Saturday in an interview with Radio Slovensko, emphasizing that this fact should not surprise anyone.

Fico reiterated that there are hundreds of large and small graves in Slovakia that “remind us that thousands of Red Army soldiers shed their blood for our freedom.” 

“So, where should I go to honor the memory of the Red Army soldiers who fell for our freedom? To Norway? To Africa?” the prime minister concluded.

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EU state’s PM slams attempts to scuttle his visit to Moscow

Fico’s stance on relations with the Kremlin dissents from that of most other Western states, which have been supporting Kiev in its conflict with Moscow. Washington and its allies have avoided engaging with Moscow during commemorations of historic events, including the Allied landing in Normandy in June and the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp by Soviet troops in January.

Russian officials have repeatedly slammed the West for distorting the historical record for the sake of furthering their geopolitical ambitions.

Fico has also sharply criticized the West’s handling of the Ukraine conflict, particularly its efforts to isolate Russia.

In the latest interview, he expressed full confidence that businesses from such nations as Germany, which currently opposes any kind of cooperation with Moscow, will rush back to Russia once the Ukraine conflict is resolved.