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Russia's Zakharova Rebukes Merz Over Fico's Criticism
(MENAFN) Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova sharply rebuked German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Saturday after he publicly criticized Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico for attending Victory Day commemorations in Moscow.
Speaking at a press conference in Stockholm, Merz said he "deeply regretted" Fico's trip, arguing it failed to reflect the EU's collective position.
"We will talk with him about this day in Moscow today," Merz said. "We are celebrating Europe Day here in Stockholm today. And this is something completely different."
Zakharova responded forcefully, contending that the very existence of modern Europe rests on the Soviet Union's wartime sacrifice in defeating Nazi Germany.
"There would be no Europe Day without the victory of the Soviet people. There would only be one vast concentration camp with gas chambers," she said in an interview with a media outlet.
The spokeswoman went further, claiming that despite repeated efforts "to save them," EU nations "always reorganize themselves into a concentration camp."
Fico — a long-standing critic of Brussels' posture toward Moscow, including military aid to Kyiv and anti-Russian sanctions — stood as the sole EU leader to attend the commemorations in person this year. His attendance came despite Lithuania and Latvia denying his aircraft access to their airspace, a move Fico defiantly dismissed, vowing that the Baltic states would not stop him from honoring those who liberated Slovakia from Nazi occupation.
Following the official ceremonies, Fico held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and several senior Kremlin figures, including Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandr Novak, and presidential aide Yury Ushakov.
Putin praised Fico's "unwavering stance on preserving the historical truth about the events of the Second World War and the Red Army's role in liberating Europe from Nazism," and acknowledged the contribution of Slovak resistance fighters to the defeat of Nazi Germany. The Russian president also expressed gratitude to Slovakia for preserving Soviet war memorials and burial sites, noting that the official opening of a Red Army military cemetery in Michalovce is expected in the near future.
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