MOSCOW

Russian President Vladimir Putin is holding talks with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in Moscow, the Kremlin announced on Sunday.

"Vladimir Putin met Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in the Kremlin. On the Russian side, Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov took part in the meeting. Robert Fico is in Moscow on a working visit," the statement said.

In a separate statement, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said "we can easily assume that all issues of the international agenda and the future of the transit of the Russian gas via Ukraine will be discussed" in the meeting scheduled several days ago.

Serbian President Aleksandr Vucic said on Saturday that Fico was planning to visit Moscow to discuss the end of a contract between Russia and Ukraine on gas transit to Europe.

The contract expires on Jan. 1, 2025, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Kyiv had no intention to extend it.

On Dec. 11, the Independent Commodity Intelligence Services (ICIS) in a report said end of the transit deal increases growing uncertainty over Europe's natural gas supply.