Slovakia to hold talks with Ukraine, revive economic meetings with Russia

Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico announced on Oct. 14 that the Slovak and the Ukrainian governments will hold their next round of talks in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on Nov. 5.

Separately, Fico also confirmed talks with Russia on Nov. 25 under the framework of a joint economic commission, a format that was suspended after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Slovakia's populist, Moscow-friendly leader framed this outreach as part of Bratislava's foreign "policy toward all four cardinal directions."

Fico noted that the upcoming Slovak-Ukrainian talks will be the fourth meeting of this format, with the last one held in the eastern Slovak city of Kosice last October.

The negotiations are to focus on expanding border crossings, providing humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, and establishing a school for Ukrainian children in Bratislava.

Fico last visited Ukraine in September 2025 for talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky. He was also scheduled to attend the inaugural Carpathian summit on Sept. 18 in Ukraine's Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, but ultimately skipped the event for health reasons.

Speaking to Slovak lawmakers before his departure for the European Council, Fico said that EU leaders are set to hold talks on a potential next loan for Ukraine and said Bratislava would not take part.

Fico's government has declined to participate in the EU's 90-billion-euro ($101 billion) loan for Kyiv adopted in April, but has not blocked it either and has voiced support for Ukraine's accession talks.

At the same time, the Slovak leader has consistently criticized energy sanctions against Russia and military aid to Ukraine, cutting off arms deliveries from Slovak army stocks. He was the only EU leader to visit the Russian capital for the May 9 Victory Day celebrations in 2025 and this year, meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Fico agreed with Putin on restarting the intergovernmental commission during the May celebrations in 2025, the Slovak newspaper Sme reported.

The last meeting of the commission, focused on economic and scientific cooperation between the two countries, was held in November 2021, months before the start of the all-out war in Ukraine.

The Slovak leader did not provide further details about the upcoming talks with the Russian side.