Robert Fico, the only EU leader who will be in Beijing this week, along with XI and Putin. Friday, meeting with Zelenski in Slovakia

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico announced on Monday that he will have bilateral meetings with the President of China, Xi Jinping, and the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, during Beijing ceremonies dedicated to the anniversary of World War II, according to Reuters.

Subsequently, on Friday, he will meet with the President of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelenski, in eastern Slovakia, Fico said in a statement.

Fico, which runs a NATO and EU member country, but opposed Western sanctions against Russia, has had tense relations with Zelenski and has distanced from European allies. In December, he met Putin in Moscow.

Fico will also be the only leader of a country in the European Union that will participate in Beijing ceremonies, where XI will be flanked by Putin, but also by leaders in North Korea, Iran and Myanmar, in a demonstration of solidarity against the West.

“I respect every victim of the struggle against fascism, which is why I leaned with respect, in the past, to Moscow, Normandia or Washington,” Fico said in a statement sent by email.

“Personal regret and I admit that I do not understand why, among the EU countries, only Slovakia will be present in Beijing. A new world order is built, new rules of a multipolar world, a new balance of powers, extremely important for the stability of the world.”

He said he had to use this opportunity to meet world leaders and said that he was informed about EU representatives about his visit.

Fico did not provide additional details about the agenda in Beijing or the discussion with Zelenski.

Slovakia criticized Ukraine after it did not renew the contract for the transit of Russian gases to Slovakia, after the expiration of the old one at the end of last year, forcing Bratislava to resort to alternative routes for Russian gas and to look for other suppliers.

Also, Slovakia has insisted on maintaining Russian oil imports through the Druzhba pipeline, which crosses Ukraine and which have been temporarily suspended in the last two weeks, after Ukrainian attacks on the pipeline on Russia.

The President of China Xi Jinping will mark the 80th anniversary of Japan's defeat on Wednesday in World War II with a lavish military parade.