Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has publicly delivered Vladimir Putin’s response to a diplomatic overture from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, stating that any future talks depend on Kyiv initiating a direct phone call to the Kremlin. Returning from his trip to the Russian capital, Fico shared details of his discussions with the Russian leader. “He [Zelensky] told me in Armenia, during our personal meeting, that he is ready to meet with Vladimir Putin in any format,” Fico reported.