Fico Wants Trump in Bratislava. Will It Backfire?

National conservatism and strongman cult foster brotherhood between ex-communist Fico and business populist Trump 

16 January 2025

Albin Sybera

Contributing Editor

Facing a no-confidence motion, a fractured coalition and declining public support, Slovak PM Fico is doubling down on radical nationalism and alliances with strongmen like Trump and Putin. But these alliances – while offering short-term political gains – carry risks for both Fico’s popularity and Slovakia’s economy.

Slovakia’s populist Prime Minister Robert Fico crossed a Rubicon last month when he became the first EU leader to visit Moscow without first stopping in Kyiv. His 22 December meeting with Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin underlined efforts to exploit the long-signalled end of Russian gas transit through Ukraine to fuel his anti-Ukrainian rhetoric and push for a revision of Slovakia’s foreign policy.

The visit sparked outrage among the opposition, which scheduled a no-confidence parliamentary motion for 21 January.

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Albin Sybera

Contributing Editor

Contributing Editor. Albin is a freelance journalist, consultant and a former clerk at the State Environmental Fund of the Czech Republic. Besides Visegrad Insight, his texts can be also found at Britské listy or Balkan Insight and he is also a news reporter covering Czechia and Slovakia at bne IntelliNews.

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