Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico has lit a diplomatic firestorm, accusing European leaders of dodging direct talks with Vladimir Putin as tensions simmer ahead of Moscow’s Victory Day spectacle. Speaking in Bratislava, Fico mocked critics, claiming the same voices condemning him publicly seek private insights into his meetings with Putin. Defiant and unapologetic, he is pressing ahead with his Moscow visit despite fierce EU backlash—turning his stance into a bold, polarising challenge to Europe’s united front on Russia.