Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico is the only EU leader attending Russia’s May 9 military parade, defying airspace bans and EU pressure to stay away.
Robert Fico has charted an unusual flight path to Moscow. After Baltic states shut their airspace to block his trip, the Slovak prime minister rerouted through Hungary, Romania, the Black Sea and Georgia to reach Russia on Thursday evening.
Fico will attend Friday’s Victory Day parade on Red Square—making him the only EU leader standing alongside foreign dignitaries such as China’s Xi Jinping.
The move comes despite vocal calls from EU officials to avoid legitimising Russia’s military celebrations. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania all denied airspace use for the trip, forcing Slovakia’s government plane into a complex detour.
“This is exceptionally complicating our schedule,” Fico said on Facebook, adding that Estonia blocked flyover rights despite Slovakia holding year-round clearance.
The prime minister is also expected to hold bilateral meetings and attend a wreath-laying ceremony in Moscow. His participation underscores a widening rift between Bratislava and Brussels.
Fico, who returned to power in 2023, has drawn criticism for shifting Slovakia’s foreign policy closer to Moscow. The country remains reliant on Russian gas, and Fico has resisted some EU positions on the war and sanctions.
Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vučić was also reportedly blocked from flying through Lithuanian airspace to attend the parade. Other EU nations, including France and Germany, are abstaining from the event altogether.
Fico’s attendance sends a message—one that runs against the tide of European diplomacy.
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) took first place in state elections in northeastern Germany on Sunday,...
Overnight Russian strikes on the city of Sumy, northeast Ukraine, have killed one woman and injured a man, the country's State Emergency Servic...
Iran's military has threatened to launch sustained attacks on U.S. bases and interests across the Middle East if Washington resumes milita...
Saudi civil defence sent an all-clear on Saturday after issuing alerts for a second time for potential danger in Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj east of the capital, amid an uptick in attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis on the Gulf country.
Houthi attacks target Riyadh amid concerns over Saudi oil supplies, as Iran says it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until its conditions are met and U.S. commitments are implemented, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday.
The U.S. State Department approved a $2.7 billion military sale to Ukraine for air-defence development upgrades, along with related equipment and services, the department said. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities reported at least 10 people had died in Russian attacks over the last 24 hours.
The death toll from an overnight Russian attack on the Kyiv region rose to four, including three children, Kyiv regional authorities said on Sunday. A mother and her two 3-year-old children were killed when a Russian drone strike hit a private home, the emergency service said.
Russian authorities have reported attacks on voting systems and communication lines as the country’s parliamentary election entered its second day on Saturday (19 September).
Overnight Russian strikes on the city of Sumy, northeast Ukraine, have killed one woman and injured a man, the country's State Emergency Service has said.
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) took first place in state elections in northeastern Germany on Sunday, voting projections showed, delivering the worst result for Chancellor Friedrich Merz's mainstream conservative party since 1949.
The Left Party won Sunday's Berlin state election with 25.5 per cent of the vote in the preliminary result, ahead of the Christian Democrats (CDU) on 19.1 per cent. This marks a major shift in the city's political landscape and a setback for Chancellor Friedrich Merz's ruling coalition.
A group of French nationals, suspected of belonging to the Islamic State (IS), on trial in Iraq could face execution, a member of Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council told a hearing in Baghdad on Sunday.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has prepared sanctions targeting the entire International Criminal Court (ICC) and could announce them soon, escalating Washington's efforts to pressure the global tribunal.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment