Emmanuel Macron met Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico at the Élysée Palace in Paris on Thursday, January 29, 2026. The meeting took the form of a working lunch, without any media briefings.
Based on official readouts and post-meeting statements, the discussions focused on international issues: continued support for Ukraine, transatlantic relations, and cooperation in the energy and defence sectors—areas where Europe’s resilience and security are increasingly being tested.
According to Slovakia’s TASR news agency, Fico said the conversation lasted almost two hours and covered energy policy (including nuclear power), defence, the EU’s competitiveness, and Ukraine. He described the talks as confidential.
After the meeting, Macron emphasized in a public message that the purpose of the talks was “more unity and solidarity” to safeguard Europe’s independence. He added that both the EU agenda and the bilateral agenda should help accelerate action on the most important issues: energy, competitiveness, defence, and the protection of European democracies grounded in the values of the European Union.
The Paris talks took place against a broader political backdrop. A day earlier, Fico announced that Slovakia would not, for the time being, join U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed “Peace Council,” arguing that Bratislava did not want to support a structure operating alongside the United Nations.
In parallel, European media had been circulating claims about Fico’s recent visit to the United States and supposed remarks about Trump’s mental state. Those reports were publicly denied by Fico, and the White House also rejected the allegations, calling them fabricated—though the debate about what really happened during the visit continued.
For Macron, the meeting with Fico was a chance to underline that strengthening Europe’s autonomy cannot be limited to the biggest capitals and must include cohesion across the EU and NATO’s eastern flank. For Bratislava, it was a signal that Slovakia wants to engage Paris on concrete interests—energy, defence, and the EU’s place in the transatlantic relationship—at a time when Europe’s security debate is again intensifying.
