Slovakia to resume intergovernmental cooperation talks with Russia next week

Slovakia will resume intergovernmental cooperation talks with Russia next week, with energy supplies and economic cooperation expected to dominate the agenda, the Slovak Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.

The 22nd session of the Intergovernmental Commission for Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation will take place at the expert level on Oct. 26 in Moscow, according to Slovak newspaper SME.

The meeting was the main topic of discussions between Slovak Foreign Ministry State Secretary Marek Estok and Russian Ambassador to Slovakia Sergey Andreyev, the ministry said.

Estok said the Slovak government was interested in maintaining "constructive and pragmatic relations" with Russia while developing cooperation in areas not subject to sanctions.

He said such cooperation must also remain consistent with Slovakia's commitments to the EU.

The commission will discuss energy, including nuclear energy, as well as agriculture, the environment, tourism, sports and culture, according to the ministry.

Energy is expected to be a key focus, particularly cooperation on securing strategic raw materials, natural gas deliveries and continued oil supplies for the Slovak economy.

The meeting will be followed by a business forum organized by the Slovak-Russian Business Council and the Business Council for Cooperation with Slovakia in Moscow.

The forum will bring together business representatives and relevant organizations to explore economic ties in sectors where cooperation remains possible under existing restrictions, the ministry said.

"In today's dynamic world, it is essential to maintain contacts wherever possible. We therefore strongly reject the escalating efforts to build a new Iron Curtain between the European Union and the Russian Federation," Estok said.