MOSCOW, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has met with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who was on a working visit in Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday.

The meeting was planned several days ago, and the two leaders held talks in a one-on-one meeting, Peskov said during an interview with Pavel Zarubin, a journalist of Russia's state TV and radio company VGTRK, adding that the two sides were expected to discuss international issues and the transit of Russian gas.

On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Kiev will not extend its five-year gas transportation deal with Russia, which expires at the end of 2024. The move has raised concern for Slovakia, which has a long-term contract with Russian energy giant Gazprom. ■