Slovakia will discuss Russian energy supplies in Moscow next week, resuming a cooperation process suspended after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, in the latest sign of divergence from its European Union and NATO allies, Reuters reported. The Russian-Slovak intergovernmental commission for economic, scientific and technical cooperation will hold a session in Moscow on October 26, the Slovak Foreign Ministry said late on Tuesday. It would be the first meeting of the commission since Russia attacked Ukraine in 2022; the commission last met in Bratislava in November 2021.

The meeting will focus on energy, including nuclear energy, as well as farming, environment, sports and culture, the ministry said. "The fundamental topic will be energy and the possibility to cooperate in securing supplies of strategic resources," the ministry said. "The Slovak side is also interested in discussing gas supplies and continuation of oil supplies." Slovakia, which buys Russian oil and gas, is meant to stop its Russian gas purchases by late 2027 under an EU plan to deprive Russia of the financial resources that fund its war in Ukraine — a deadline the restart of consultations casts doubt over, Reuters noted.

The restart follows repeated trips to Moscow by Prime Minister Robert Fico, including in May this year, and Fico's views stand out in the 27-member EU since the defeat of pro-Russian Hungarian leader Viktor Orban in an April election, Reuters reported. The Slovak Foreign Ministry said that in developing relations with Russia, Slovakia "continues to base its approach on its European Union and North Atlantic Alliance membership and keeping commitments of this membership," but wanted to create room for dialogue. Sources: Reuters via DevDiscourse — Slovakia to restart consultations with Russia in new break with EU allies (Oct 21, 2026); SFG Media — Slovakia Is Reviving Its Intergovernmental Commission With Russia (Oct 21, 2026); Reuters via Digi24 (Oct 21, 2026).