Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico told Russian President Vladimir Putin during a recent visit to Moscow that his country was prepared to broker peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, the TASS news agency reported Thursday.

Separately, FM says Russia is ready to improve ties with Trump's administration if the US shows serious intentions

Slovakia’s prime minister, Robert Fico arrived in Russia on a “working visit” and met with Putin one-on-one on Sunday evening.

Putin said the Slovakian authorities "...would be happy to provide their own country as a platform for negotiations. We are not opposed, if it comes to that. Why not? Since Slovakia takes such a neutral position.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has held talks in the Kremlin with Slovakia’s prime minister, Robert Fico, in a rare visit to Moscow by an EU leader since Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks in the Kremlin on Sunday with Slovakia’s prime minister, Robert Fico (shown here in Brussels in February 2024), in a rare visit to Moscow by an EU leader since Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. (Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP)

Vladimir Putin said Slovakia's prime minister offered on his recent visit to Moscow to host potential talks between Russia and Ukraine. Robert Fico made the trip as a halt to Russian gas deliveries via Ukraine beckons.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said any new deal for transporting natural gas through Ukraine will be challenging.

Responding to questions from journalists, Putin said that Slovakian officials "would be happy to provide their own country as a platform for negotiations. We are not opposed, if it comes to that. Why not?