Putin and the Slovak PM met during a surprise trip to Moscow.

 Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico made a surprise visit to Moscow for talks with Vladimir  Putin. He became the third Western leader to meet the Russian  president since the invasion of Ukraine three years  ago.

Fico, who is an outspoken critic of the European Union's support for  Kiev in the  war, said they discussed supplies of Russian gas to  Slovakia, on which his country  depends.
A deal with Russian gas giant Gazprom to  transport energy through Ukraine to Slovakia  expires at the end of this  year.
"Senior EU officials were informed  of my  trip and its  purpose ... on Friday," Fico wrote on  Facebook. Advertisement
Fico said the meeting in Moscow was a reaction to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky telling EU leaders that Ukraine  remained opposed to Russian gas  passing through its  territory.
The Slovak prime minister, who survived  an assassination attempt earlier this year, also said he had a "long conversation" with Putin and  that the two "exchanged views on the military situation in  Ukraine".
The two discussed "the possibilities  for a quick and peaceful end  to the war" and mutual relations between Russia and Slovakia, Fico wrote on  Facebook.
Sanctions against Russia: What impact have they had on its oil and gas  exports? Watch the BBC challenge Putin  during his 25 years in power in Russia
Slovakia and Hungary, both  dependent on Russian gas, have  expressed concern about the  possibility of  supply disruptions. In October 2023, when Fico became  the new prime  minister, he ended Slovakia's military aid to  Ukraine.
But he insisted he  wanted to be a  "good and friendly  neighbor" with Ukraine.
Fico's meeting with Putin came  after the leaders of Italy, Sweden, Greece and Finland met on Sunday for a security  summit.
Speaking afterwards,  Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said Russia was a "permanent and dangerous threat" to the  EU.
He also stressed the need  to increase defense spending and support Ukraine.