Slovakia breaks with the EU and NATO regarding Russia. The government of Robert Fico resumes energy consultations with Moscow.

Slovakia will discuss the supply of energy from Russia next week in Moscow, resuming a cooperation process suspended after Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine, which represents the most recent sign of divergence with its allies in the European Union and NATO, Reuters reports. The Russian-Slovak intergovernmental commission for economic, scientific and technical cooperation will organize a session in Moscow on October 26, stated the Slovak Minister of Foreign Affairs late Tuesday. It will be the first meeting since Russia's attack on Ukraine in 2022. The meeting will focus on energy, including nuclear energy, as well as agriculture, environment, sports and culture, the ministry indicated. The resumption of consultations follows repeated visits to Moscow by Prime Minister Robert Fico, including in May. Fico's views are noteworthy within the EU, which consists of 27 member states, following the defeat of the Hungarian pro-Russian leader Viktor Orbán in the April elections. "The main subject will be energy and the possibility of cooperating in ensuring the supply of strategic resources," stated the Slovak MFA. "The Slovak side is also interested in discussing the supply of gas and the continuation of oil deliveries," according to him. Slovakia, which purchases Russian oil and gas, should suspend gas purchases until the end of 2027, as part of a EU plan to deprive Russia of the financial resources that fund its war in Ukraine. In the course of developing relations with Russia, Slovakia "continues to base its approach on its quality as a member of the European Union and the North Atlantic Alliance, as well as on the fulfillment of the commitments arising from this status," but desires to leave room for dialogue, the MFA in Bratislava underlined. Fico, a populist nationalist in the fourth term as prime minister of this country in Central Europe, has criticized the EU sanctions against Russia and accused Ukraine of interrupting oil deliveries to Slovakia at the beginning of this year - a situation which Kyiv has stated was provoked by Russian attacks. He has suspended the military aid provided by Slovakia to Ukraine, but exports of ammunition and military equipment continue on a commercial basis, including from state-owned companies. Earlier, Fico stated that he would prefer Slovakia to be neutral, rather than a member of NATO, and suggested that he would not want Slovak soldiers to fight in a war with Russia triggered by NATO's mutual defense clause. He also said that the West could provoke a confrontation with Russia, while Western intelligence agencies have stated that Western actions are purely defensive and have warned of a possible escalation from the side of Russia, Reuters notes. Editor: S.R.