Putin says Moscow 'will do everything' to meet Slovakia's energy needs

Moscow "will do everything" to meet Slovakia's energy needs, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday as he met with Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico at the Kremlin.

Putin said relations between Russia and Slovakia had long been marked by strong political dialogue and stable cooperation, but were complicated by the conflict in Ukraine and what he described as a confrontational policy imposed by the EU and NATO.

"At the same time, your government strives to pursue a sovereign foreign policy and chart a pragmatic course toward Russia," he said, welcoming "gradual restoration of bilateral cooperation, which was effectively frozen by the efforts of the previous Slovak authorities."

Putin added that the bilateral trade volume declined over the past two years, but that both sides hoped the visit would help identify ways to restore and expand economic cooperation.

Putin thanked Fico for attending Victory Day celebrations in Moscow despite logistical difficulties, and praised his stance on "historical truth" regarding World War II and the role of the Soviet army in liberating Europe from Nazism.

Earlier in the day, Russia held an annual military parade on Red Square to mark the anniversary of the Soviet victory in World War II, with leaders of several countries, including Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, in attendance.