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.
U.S. President Donald Trump urged Iran on Wednesday (28 January) to come to the table and make a deal on nuclear weapons or the next U.S. attack would...
Life will be particularly tough for Ukrainians over the next three weeks due to plunging temperatures and a compromised energy infrastructure that has...
Storm Kristin has killed at least three people and left more than 800,000 residents without electricity across central and northern Portugal, as viole...
U.S. stock markets finished mixed on Wednesday (28 January) as investors reacted calmly after the Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged, a dec...
Liverpool confirmed direct qualification to the UEFA Champions League round of 16 with a 6-0 win over Qarabağ at Anfield in their final league-phase ...
Life will be particularly tough for Ukrainians over the next three weeks due to plunging temperatures and a compromised energy infrastructure that has been pummeled by intense Russian attacks, depriving millions of light and heat, a senior lawmaker said on Wednesday.
Storm Kristin has killed at least three people and left more than 800,000 residents without electricity across central and northern Portugal, as violent winds, heavy rain and snowfall battered the country before moving into Spain.
U.S. stock markets finished mixed on Wednesday (28 January) as investors reacted calmly after the Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged, a decision that had been widely expected and largely priced in.
Liverpool confirmed direct qualification to the UEFA Champions League round of 16 with a 6-0 win over Qarabağ at Anfield in their final league-phase match. Despite the setback, Qarabağ secured a play-off spot, with results elsewhere going in the Azerbaijani champions’ favour on the final matchday.
France’s National Assembly has approved a bill banning access to social media for children under 15, a move backed by President Emmanuel Macron and the government as part of efforts to protect teenagers’ mental and physical health.
The S&P 500 edged to a record closing high on Tuesday, marking its fifth consecutive day of gains, as strong advances in technology stocks offset a sharp selloff in healthcare shares and a mixed batch of corporate earnings.
Israel has recovered the remains of the last remaining hostage held in Gaza, the military said on Monday, fulfilling a key condition of the initial phase of U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to end the war in the Palestinian territory.
Sanctions are a long-used tool designed as an alternative to military force and with the objective of changing governments’ behaviour, but they also end up hurting civilian citizens.
A routine military training exercise turned into a major recovery mission this week after a catastrophic mudslide swept through a hillside in West Java, Indonesia.
U.S. President Donald Trump urged Iran on Wednesday (28 January) to come to the table and make a deal on nuclear weapons or the next U.S. attack would be far worse. Tehran responded with a threat to strike back against the United States.
Life will be particularly tough for Ukrainians over the next three weeks due to plunging temperatures and a compromised energy infrastructure that has been pummeled by intense Russian attacks, depriving millions of light and heat, a senior lawmaker said on Wednesday.
Storm Kristin has killed at least three people and left more than 800,000 residents without electricity across central and northern Portugal, as violent winds, heavy rain and snowfall battered the country before moving into Spain.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has called for tax increases on the city’s wealthiest residents and most profitable corporations, warning that the city is facing a fiscal crisis on a scale greater than the Great Recession.
The United States is handing over a tanker to Venezuela that it seized earlier this month, according to two U.S. officials, marking the first known case of Donald Trump’s administration returning such a vessel, Reuters reported.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment