President Volodymyr Zelensky said his conversation with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was “meaningful” after the two met on Friday, adding that Bratislava is backing Ukraine’s EU path.

The comment came as Fico complained of Ukraine’s recent strikes on Russia’s Druzhba pipeline which supplies both Slovakia and Hungary with Russian oil, after which Fico met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing on Wednesday.

Zelensky said it was good that he and Fico talked, according to the Ukrinform state media outlet.

“Thank you for this visit. We had a meaningful conversation. It is important that this dialogue of ours exists. We will continue it,” Zelensky said.

Zelensky said he briefed Fico on his phone call with US President Donald Trump and details of the Coalition of the Willing meeting in Paris on the previous day, during which 26 nations reportedly agreed to contribute to post-war security guarantees for Ukraine.

In an X update following the meeting, Zelensky provided more details of their conversations, which also touched on energy and Fico’s visit to China.

“The Prime Minister told me about his contacts in China. A separate and important topic was Europe’s energy independence – Russian oil, just as Russian gas, has no future,” he wrote.

Zelensky also said Slovakia is backing Ukraine’s EU bid.

“Slovakia supports Ukraine on its path toward the European Union. This is highly significant. We also share the view that Ukraine and Moldova must continue moving together toward EU membership. Equally important is that bilateral cooperation on economic, energy, and infrastructure matters here, in our region, strengthens our peoples and our countries,” he added.

Prior to the meeting, Fico said he had a “serious message” for Zelensky as a result of his meeting with Putin.

“President V. Putin informed me about the course of negotiations with U.S. President D. Trump in Alaska and about the prospects for ending this military conflict. From this important conversation, I drew several conclusions and messages that I intend to convey to Ukrainian President V. Zelensky on Friday,” Fico wrote in a Wednesday X update.

Heorhiy Tykhyi, spokesman for Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said before the Friday meeting that Zelensky would raise concerns about Russian sanctions with Fico.

“Of course, one of the main topics will be increasing sanctions and political pressure on the aggressor state, holding Russia accountable for crimes, including the crime of aggression, which Slovakia must support. Issues that exist between our states will also be open: issues of bilateral relations, economic problems that are of particular concern to Slovakia,” Tykhyi said at a briefing, as reported by Interfax Ukraine.

Zelensky also met European Council President António Costa and Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Stenergard during their visit to western Ukraine, where the three participated in the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities.

“The second element of pressure is sanctions against Russia. We are working together on both of these elements. I ask all of you – every community, every community leader – to be active in this, both at your own level and in contacts with partners. Always, please, promote the need to provide further support,” Zelensky wrote in his own X update after the congress.