Participating in the meeting on the Russian side were Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov 
Lavrov SergeiMinister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation , Deputy Prime
Minister Alexander Novak 
Novak AlexanderDeputy Prime Minister of the Government of the Russian Federation , Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov 
Ushakov YuryAide to the President , Minister of Science
and Higher Education and Chair of the Russian side of the Intergovernmental
Commission on Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Slovak Republic Valery Falkov 
Falkov ValeryMinister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation , as well as General Director
of the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom Alexei Likhachev 
Likhachev AlexeiDirector General of State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom .
* * *
President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Prime Minister,
Allow me to once again extend a warm
welcome to Moscow. We met here last year on this special occasion marking the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory, and we are grateful that you have chosen
to join us again today.
I know that, just as last time,
there were certain difficulties related to your trip to Moscow. You mentioned a moment ago that this time it was somewhat easier. But most importantly, you are
here, and we sincerely appreciate it.
Your unwavering stance on preserving
the historical truth about the events of the Second World War and the Red Army’s
role in liberating Europe from Nazism is highly commendable. I would also note
that Slovak fighters resisting the forces of Nazi Germany also made a contribution to achieving the Great Victory. We remember the Slovak National
Uprising of August 29, 1944.
We are grateful to the leadership
and the people of Slovakia for their careful attention to the monuments and burial sites of Soviet soldiers who fell fighting the Nazis on Slovak soil. I understand that the official
opening of the Central Military Memorial Cemetery of the Red Army in Michalovce
is expected soon. Thank you very much for giving this matter such attention.
For many years, including during
your previous terms as Prime Minister, relations between Russia and Slovakia
were marked by active political dialogue and steady cooperation. Of course, we
understand that the current situation has been complicated by developments
surrounding Ukraine and the broader foreign policy climate, including the confrontational approach that, in our view, is being imposed by both the EU and NATO. At the same time, your Government is
seeking to pursue an independent foreign policy and maintain a pragmatic approach
towards Russia. We welcome the gradual restoration of bilateral cooperation,
which had effectively been frozen under the previous Slovak authorities.
Unfortunately, our trade turnover
declined both last year and this year, and we see the reasons behind this
trend. We hope that your visit today will help us identify practical steps to restore and further expand our economic cooperation.
We are aware of Slovakia’s interest
in working together in a number of specific areas, including energy. We just
had the opportunity to talk to you face to face, and I can say it here as well:
we are going to to do everything possible to meet the energy needs of the Slovak Republic and to continue cooperation in all other areas of mutual
interest.
Thank you.
Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico 
Fico RobertPrime Minister of Slovakia (retranslated):
Mr President,
Ladies and gentlemen,
First of all, on behalf of the Slovak delegation, I would like to express our gratitude for the welcome and hospitality, the traditional Russian hospitality.
Allow me on behalf of the Government
of the Slovak Republic and the Slovak delegation present here to congratulate
you on the most significant state holiday – Victory Day. It is a great honour
for me to be here, in the Russian Federation, for the celebrations of this
meaningful day and date.
History has united us very tightly,
and I do reject distortions of historical facts. I support the idea of sovereign Slovak policy extended towards anyone interested in having normal,
standard friendly relations with the Slovak Republic. People in Slovakia know
very well that it was not only the direct assistance provided during the Slovak
National Uprising in 1944, but also the sacrifice of tens of thousands of Red
Army soldiers who are buried in cemeteries across the Slovak Republic. Therefore,
I want to once again express the commitment by the Slovak Republic: we will
tend to the cemeteries and take care of them.
My previous and today’s visit to Moscow is a sign of respect for the victims of the Second World War and the fact that the peoples of the Soviet Union suffered most during WWII and in the struggle against Nazism.
I am very happy, Mr President, that
you mentioned the town of Michalovce. It is not only this town; Slovakia has
dozens of military cemeteries where Red Army soldiers are buried as well as Romanian army’s soldiers who also took part in the liberation. That’s why I am
happy to tell you, Mr President, that we have delivered on the commitment to renovate
the military cemetery in Michalovce, and I will personally attend its opening soon.
It concerns all the sites where WWII victims are buried. I believe that any
citizen of your country who visits Slovakia and sees these places will
understand the importance of what we are doing. Once again, let me congratulate
you on this remarkable holiday.
I would like to use this
opportunity, Mr President, and discuss some serious issues concerning our countries.
I do not say different things publicly and in private discussions. I see we are
having an “iron curtain” falling again while I support mutually beneficial
friendly relations. I firmly believe that both Slovakia and the Russian
Federation can make a few steps shortly that will be aimed at restoring normal
relations.
We are in a situation whereby we get
considerable energy resources from you. I am talking about natural gas via the TurkStream as well as oil via the Druzhba pipeline. But our cooperation cannot
be limited to this area. That’s why I intend to provide you with information on where we are regarding the intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation
and which steps we have taken. We have reappointed military attaches here in Moscow, and there have been practical efforts related to the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Bratislava.
I highly appreciate that we will be
able to exchange important information in this broader format.
Once again, thank you and please
receive my congratulations.
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