Czechia allows Fico's Moscow flight as neighbors close airspace for Victory Day

Prefer on Google by Lucy Pakhnyuk Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico speaks during a joint news conference with Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis in Studenka, Czechia, on March 31, 2026. (Milan Jaros / Bloomberg via Getty Images) Czechia has granted permission for Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico to fly over its airspace en route to Russia for the May 9 Victory Day parade, a Czech Foreign Ministry spokesman said, even as several European countries have blocked the trip. "The Slovak side submitted a standard request for an overflight permit, and it was issued without delay," spokesman Adam Corgo told Czech outlet Novinky on May 1. "The allegations about a 'ban' are false," he added, countering claims in Russian media that Czechia had denied the flight. The approval comes as multiple countries in Europe have denied Fico access to their airspace ahead of his planned visit to Moscow for Russia's Victory Day celebrations on May 9. The Baltic nations of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia have barred the Slovak leader's flight, and Poland has also refused airspace access. Estonia confirmed its position on April 19. Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said Tallinn would not allow its airspace to be used for flights to Moscow for the May 9 parade, which he described as an event "aimed at glorifying the aggressor." "Estonia will not permit the use of its airspace by any state that chooses to deepen its ties with Russia . Russia continues to violate international norms as if it were a sport, continuing its atrocities in Ukraine, and threatening the security of Europe as a whole," Tsahkna said . "We must continue to isolate the aggressor politically and economically, maintaining firm pressure until it has fully faced the consequences of its actions," he added. Every year on May 9, Russia stages large-scale military parades in Moscow to commemorate the end of World War II in Europe. The celebrations emphasize the Soviet Union's role in the victory, and the Kremlin uses the event to project its military might and reinforce official narratives regarding the invasion of Ukraine. Most European countries, including Ukraine , observe the end of the war on May 8, known as Victory in Europe Day. Fico, who attended the Moscow celebrations last year despite calls from European officials to boycott the 2025 event, is widely seen as one of Moscow's closest allies within the European Union .