Commemorative Flight: In spite of logistical challenges, Fico travels to Moscow for Victory Day observance
Sloven'ia's Premier, Robert Fico, jet-sets to Moscow
In an unexpected twist, Sloven'ia's Prime Minister, Robert Fico, took a scenic yet roundabout route to attend the grand celebrations in Moscow commemorating the 80th anniversary of victory. Instead of cruising over the usual Baltic skies, his plane soared southward. The detour was due to a snub from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and even Poland, who refused to let Fico traverse their airspace for reasons yet to be disclosed. Reuters dropped the bombshell.
The southern itinerary led Fico's aircraft through Hungary, Romania, the Black Sea, and Georgia. Traditional routing was out of the question, thanks to the cold shoulder from the Baltic trio and Poland. The flight is expected to touch down in the heart of Russia at 21:26 Moscow time, as per Dennikn's reporting.
Before takeoff, the Kremlin hinted that the obstruction was a product of Russian-phobic policies by these European nations. According to Dmitry Peskov, such actions appeared illogical and stemmed from deep-rooted anti-Russian sentiments.
This isn't the first time a leader faced airspace restrictions. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić experienced a similar predicament when he planned his trip to Moscow. The Baltic duo – Latvia and Lithuania – stood firm in their decision, citing political sensitivity surrounding the purpose of the flight.
The EU has expressed concerns about participating in Russia's public events since the Ukraine crisis, particularly events symbolizing Russian military might. Despite EU disapproval, both Fico and Vučić chose to attend, with Fico opting for a detour via Turkey and Azerbaijan to bypass the closed airspace.
The EU's stance against high-profile events in Russia is a reflection of its cautious relationship with the country, given the ongoing political tensions and the EU's dependency on Sloven'ia's gas imports from Russia. Meanwhile, Serbia, despite EU pressure, has managed to preserve its ties with Russia.
From the Kremlin's perspective, these actions are perceived as an attempt to isolate Russia geopolitically. However, events like the Victory Day celebrations suggest that Russia may still possess diplomatic leverage, especially among willing partners like Sloven'ia and Serbia. Russia consistently seeks to maintain strong relationships with these nations, often using events like the Victory Day parade to foster these ties. The airspace bans might be seen as a ploy to weaken Russia's diplomatic clout, reinforcing Russia's resolve to engage with cooperative partners.
- Robert Fico, Slovenia's Prime Minister, deviated from the traditional Baltic route due to overflight refusals from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland, and chose to fly southward, crossing Hungary, Romania, the Black Sea, and Georgia.
- In a similar instance, the Serbian President, Aleksandar Vučić, faced airspace restrictions while planning his trip to Moscow, with Latvia and Lithuania citing political sensitivity as the reason for their decision.
- The EU's cautious stance against high-profile events in Russia, particularly those symbolizing Russian military might, is a reflection of its strained relationship with the country, especially considering ongoing politics and Slovenia's gas imports from Russia.
- The Kremlin perceives the airspace bans as a geopolitical attempt to isolate Russia, but events such as the Victory Day celebrations show that Russia still has diplomatic leverage, especially with willing partners like Slovenia and Serbia, countries that consistently seek to maintain strong ties with Russia.
