Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has said he will not attend the Victory Day parade in Moscow, according to SME.
Fico stated that during his visit, he plans to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and lay flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier “to express gratitude on behalf of the Slovak people for the liberation.”
“I am not going to the military parade,” Fico said.
The visit has drawn attention across Europe. On May 4, The European Conservative reported that the European Union’s response to Fico’s trip revealed significant divisions among member states.
According to the report, after Fico announced his visit, the Baltic states and Poland denied permission for a Slovak government aircraft to fly through their airspace, while the Czech Republic approved the request.
This year’s Victory Day parade in Moscow will be held without military equipment. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the event will take place in a reduced format. Similar restrictions have also been introduced in other regions, including St. Petersburg.
By Tamilla Hasanova
