Pro-Russian Fico complains Latvia and Lithuania blocked his flight to Moscow for Putin’s 9 May parade (updated)

Slovakia's pro-Russian Prime Minister Robert Fico says Lithuania and Latvia had blocked his plane from crossing their airspace on the way to Moscow for Russia's 9 May parade, Slovakia's state news agency TASR reported. In the same weekly address, Fico stated he would withhold support from the next EU sanctions package against Russia until Ukraine restores Moscow's oil transit to Slovakia through the Druzhba pipeline.

Latvia and Lithuania block the flight

Fico said on 18 April that Latvia and Lithuania had already informed Bratislava that his aircraft cannot cross their territory on the way to Moscow.

"Lithuania and Latvia have already announced that they will not allow us to fly over their territory on the way to Moscow. Why? Member states of the EU are not allowing the prime minister of another EU member state to fly over their territory," he complained.

Fico promised to find an alternative route. Last year, all three Baltic nations — including Estonia — blocked his Moscow flight, yet he found a workaround and attended Russia's 9 May parade regardless, where he met Putin.

Update

Estonia's Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said his country will not permit Slovak Prime Minister Fico to use its airspace for his flight to Moscow on 9 May.

“Fico will once again not receive permission to use Estonian airspace for a flight to Moscow to attend the 9 May parade, an event aimed at glorifying the aggressor. We denied this last year, and the same principle applies now,” said Tsahkna.

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Sanctions veto and Druzhba ultimatum

After Moscow’s key ally Orbán lost last week’s election, Fico — who had promised to pick up Orbán’s “baton” — also said he would block the next EU sanctions package against Russia, as excuse providing a demand that Ukraine's President Zelenskyy restores Druzhba pipeline operations.

"I am communicating very clearly that I will not support the adoption of a new sanctions package in favor of Ukraine until President Zelenskyy restores the operation of the Druzhba oil pipeline," he stated.

Fico also confirmed Slovakia is filing a lawsuit against the EU over its Russian gas ban, claiming the EU improperly used majority voting for a decision that required unanimous member state consent. He called this a "gross violation" of EU founding treaties.