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.

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