Slovak PM Fico Declines May 9 Parade, Plans Brief Meeting with Putin

Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico will not attend the Victory Day parade on May 9 during his visit to Moscow due to the ongoing Ukrainian conflict. Earlier, during a visit to Yerevan, Fico stated that he would travel to Moscow for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but would not take part in the military parade marking the 81st anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War. "I will lay flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier of the Red Army to express gratitude on behalf of the Slovak people for the liberation, and I will have a short meeting with Putin. That's all. I am not going to the military parade,” he said.