Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov (source: Wu Hong/SITA)
“The main topic of the talks will be the situation in Ukraine,” Presidential Office spokesman Roman Krpelan told the TASR newswire.
It remains unclear, though, whether Prime Minister Robert Fico will also meet the Russian politician during his visit. Fico said on a recent TV discussion show that he was ready to discuss Ukraine with Lavrov in Bratislava.
Lavrov was invited to pay a visit to Slovakia by his Slovak counterpart Miroslav Lajčák in Moscow back in December 2012. Although Lavrov’s visit will coincide with the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Bratislava towards the end of World War II, he will not take part in a commemoration event organised by Bratislava City Hall. The Russian minister is due to lay a wreath at the Slavín monument and military cemetery accompanied by representatives of the Slovak government instead.
Lajčák views Lavrov’s visit as a good chance to exchange opinions with the Russian side on foreign political developments, including Ukraine, the former said for TASR.
Slovakia is not the only European Union-member country to be visited by the Russian foreign affairs minister since the annexation of Crimea by Russia a year ago. Over the past year, Lavrov has paid visits to Austria, Bulgaria, Finland, Germany and Slovenia.
