Russian President Vladimir Putin largely refrained from sending New Year’s greetings to Western leaders, with the exceptions of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, the Kremlin revealed on Monday.
Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder was also on the list of telegram recipients, alongside Orban. Although Fico was not formally listed, Putin sent his regards to the Slovak Prime Minister, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated.
According to Russia, both Hungary and Slovakia refrain from pursuing “Russophobic” policies. Both nations also heavily depend on Russian gas supplies.
Both Orban and Fico have visited Moscow since the Kremlin launched its invasion of Ukraine nearly three years ago, while other Western leaders have stayed away.
Although both leaders have criticized the supply of weapons to Kyiv by European Union (EU) countries and EU sanctions on Moscow, they have largely supported the EU’s policies thus far.
Fico and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently had a verbal exchange over Ukraine’s decision not to renew the gas transit agreement with Slovakia.
In response, Fico threatened to cut electricity supplies to Ukraine.
On Sunday, Slovak Defense Minister Robert Kalinak stated that Ukraine would have to cede territory to Russia to secure peace, a solution Zelenskyy has repeatedly rejected in the past.
Russia currently controls about 20 percent of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, which Moscow illegally annexed in 2014.
