UPDATE 1-Putin tells Fico: Russia will meet Slovakia's energy demand

Slovakia gets Russian oil ‌via the Soviet-built Druzhba pipeline, while natural gas from Russia flows there through the TurkStream pipeline. Russian state media ⁠had ​previously reported that Fico was due to attend the parade. Slovakia, an EU member, has sought to maintain ⁠political ties with Russia and has argued that it would be ⁠too ⁠costly to wean itself off Russian supplies after building its infrastructure around it.

President ​Vladimir Putin told Slovakian ‌Prime Minister ​Robert Fico at a meeting in the Kremlin on Saturday that Russia ‌will do everything to meet Slovakia's energy demand.

Slovakia is among only a few countries in Europe that are still buying ‌Russia's oil and gas. Slovakia gets Russian oil ‌via the Soviet-built Druzhba pipeline, while natural gas from Russia flows there through the TurkStream pipeline. Fico arrived in Moscow for the festivities to ⁠mark ​the Soviet Union's ⁠victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two.

"We will do ⁠everything to satisfy Slovakia's needs in energy resources," Putin told Fico, ​who chose not to attend the Victory Parade on ⁠Moscow's Red Square, in comments broadcast on national TV. Russian state media ⁠had ​previously reported that Fico was due to attend the parade.

Slovakia, an EU member, has sought to maintain ⁠political ties with Russia and has argued that it would be ⁠too ⁠costly to wean itself off Russian supplies after building its infrastructure around it.