Robert Fico, the Prime Minister of Slovakia, has stated that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is reportedly willing to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Fico emphasized that for negotiations to commence, Zelensky should initiate contact with Putin directly.
This announcement was made by Fico on his Facebook page following his recent trip to Moscow, where he discussed potential dialogue between Ukraine and Russia.
According to Fico, Zelensky expressed a readiness to engage with Putin in any format during their private conversation. He also mentioned that he conveyed this message to the Russian side.
“If the Ukrainian president is interested in a meeting, he should contact his Russian counterpart by phone,” Fico quoted Putin as saying.
Fico further endorsed the idea of extending the ceasefire, suggesting that it could facilitate diplomatic efforts and the negotiation process.
Prior to his visit, Fico announced plans to attend the Victory Day celebrations in Moscow on May 9. However, he later revealed that Latvia and Lithuania had denied his aircraft passage through their airspace for the trip, a restriction that was soon joined by Estonia.
On May 23, Fico confirmed that he would not participate in the military parade in Moscow, opting instead to lay flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Slovak Foreign Ministry Secretary Rostislav Kovanec indicated that Fico intended to deliver a message from Zelensky to Putin during his visit to the Russian capital.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has indicated that Ukrainian President Zelensky is open to meeting with Russian President Putin, contingent on Zelensky initiating contact. Fico's statements follow his recent trip to Moscow, where he discussed potential negotiations and conveyed Zelensky's willingness to engage in dialogue.