Putin sends New Year’s greetings to Fico, Orban – and a German

Berlin. Shortly before the New Year, Kremlin leader Putin ignored Western governments when sending congratulations – with a few notable exceptions.

Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin is currently sending New Year’s greetings to foreign heads of state and politicians. It is hardly surprising that most western countries do not receive any contribution from the Kremlin receive. With the attack on Ukraine at the latest, diplomatic relations were almost put on ice.

Capital Inside by Jörg Quoos, editor-in-chief of the FUNKE central editorial team

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All the more attention is paid to the select few who are considered by the Russian president despite their country’s membership in the European Union: there is former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, for example, who is the only former Western head of state to receive a congratulatory telegram. Also Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban is on a list that the Kremlin published on its website.

Russia: Putin congratulates Orbán and Vico – for this reason

The third in the league with New Year’s greetings Moscow: Robert Fico, Prime Minister of Slovakia. He is not on the official list. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Putin also congratulated him. According to Moscow, Hungary and Slovakia are characterized by their lack of “Russophobic politics”. Both countries are heavily dependent on Russian gas supplies. Both Orbán and Fico visited Putin after the start of the war of aggression against Ukraine ordered by the Kremlin chief. They criticize the EU’s arms aid for the attacked Ukraine and the sanctions against Russia, but have largely supported them so far.

The then Federal Chancellor Gerhard Schröder welcomes Russian President Vladimir Putin (r) in front of the Hannover Theater am Aegi on April 16, 2004.
© DPA Images | Holger Hollemann

There was a dispute between Fico and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over Kiev’s refusal to accept the gas transit contract that expires at the end of the year Russia to extend, a verbal skirmish finally broke out. Fico threatened to stop electricity supplies to Ukraine, and his Defense Minister Robert Kalinak called on Kiev to cede power to Russia in order to achieve peace. For his part, Zelenskyj described Fico as a Kremlin stooge.