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Slovak PM Robert Fico Arrives in Moscow for Victory Day Parade and Meeting With Putin

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Maryna_kulakova
Maryna Kulakova
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Slovak PM Robert Fico Arrives in Moscow for Victory Day Parade and Meeting With Putin
Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico arrive in Moscow to attend the celebrations of the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, in Moscow, Russia on May 08, 2025. (Source: Getty Images)

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico arrived in Moscow to participate in Victory Day parade marking the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany's defeat in World War II, according to Reuters on May 9.

He is expected to hold bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and a representative from the Vietnamese government.

Originally scheduled to arrive in Moscow on May 8, Fico's flight was delayed after the Baltic states barred Slovakia's government plane from passing through their airspace en route.

"Estonia informed us just a couple of minutes ago that it will not allow us to fly over its territory," Fico posted on Facebook. "This is clearly a deliberate attempt to disrupt my visit to Moscow for the official commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II."

Accompanied by several members of his political party, including Erik Kaliniak, Lubos Blaga, Richard Gluck, and Miroslav Radachovsky, a deputy from the far-right Slovak National Party, Fico's visit included a planned series of high-level meetings.

The Kremlin announced on May 6 that 29 foreign leaders will attend the Victory Day parade in Moscow on May 9. Confirmed attendees include leaders from Zimbabwe, China, Cuba, Laos, Mongolia, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, South Ossetia, Myanmar, Palestine, Serbia, Slovakia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Congo, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Burkina Faso, Vietnam, Guinea-Bissau, Egypt, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Abkhazia, Venezuela, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Earlier, Russian outlet Agenstvo reported that this year’s May 9 parade will be the largest since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. Rehearsal footage suggests at least 184 vehicles, 12 drones, and 15 aircraft will take part—significantly more than in recent years, though still modest compared to major anniversary parades before the war.

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