Slovak PM Robert Fico made a surprise visit to Moscow for gas talks with Putin, discussing Ukraine conflict, peace prospects.

Prime Minister Robert Fico went to Moscow for a "working meeting" with President Vladimir Putin on Sunday, in which he said they discussed gas transit and the prospects of a "peaceful end" to war in Ukraine.

"In a long conversation ... Putin and I exchanged views on the military situation in Ukraine, the possibilities of an early peaceful end to the war, and on mutual relations between the Slovak Republic and the Russian Federation,

Russian President Vladimir Putin is holding talks with Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico in Moscow, state TV channel Rossiya 24 reported.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has met with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who was on a working visit in Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. The meeting was planned several days ago, and the two leaders held talks in a one-on-one meeting,

Fico’s views on Russia’s war on Ukraine differ sharply from most other European leaders. Slovakia's prime minister returned to power last year after his leftist party won parliamentary elections on a pro-Russia and anti-American platform.

Robert Fico meets with the Russian president amid concerns about his country's gas supplies, and at a time when Slovakia is withdrawing support for Ukraine's war effort.

Slovakia is dependent on gas passing through its neighbour Ukraine, and it has ramped up efforts to maintain those flows from 2025 while criticising Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for refusing to extend the contract expiring at the end of the year.

Robert Fico said he and the Russian leader discussed "the possibilities of an early, peaceful end of the war" in Ukraine.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has said that his meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Sunday, 22 December was in response to a statement made by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about halting the transit of Russian gas.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin met Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in the Kremlin on Sunday, a rare visit by a European Union leader to Moscow as a contract allowing for Russian gas to transit through Ukraine nears expiry.