Several EU countries closed airspace to the respective leaders who were en route to the Russian capital
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has shared footage of him shaking hands with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico near the Kremlin. Both leaders faced significant challenges in reaching the Victory Day celebrations in the Russian capital, due to airspace bans imposed by several EU countries.
“Brotherly meeting with the Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico tonight in Moscow. Serbs and Slovaks brothers forever!” Vucic wrote on Instagram on Thursday, alongside a clip showing of the two leaders greeting each other.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas had warned leaders of member states and candidate countries against traveling to Russia for the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany. The renowned Russia hawk urged instead that they visit Kiev.
EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos reportedly also told Vucic in late April that his presence in Moscow could impact Serbia’s EU accession to the bloc.
Latvia and Lithuania denied airspace access to Vucic’s plane, forcing it to reroute through Bulgaria, Türkiye, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.
Estonia refused to facilitate Fico’s aircraft, despite Slovakia holding a year-round permit to use Estonian airspace for government flights.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna insisted that EU representatives should avoid participating in “propaganda events organized by Russia.”
Despite the attempted blocks, both Vucic and Fico went ahead with their plans to attend the Victory Day event in Moscow. They are among more than two dozen world leaders participating in this year’s commemorations in the Russian capital. Other attendees include Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico, and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
