Richard Glück, the chair of Slovakia’s parliamentary Committee for Defence and Security and a prominent figure in the ruling party Direction – Social Democracy (Smer-SD), travelled privately to Moscow to celebrate the anniversary of the Kremlin-backed television network RT, participating in an event attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin and later granting the broadcaster a promotional interview echoing discredited Russian narratives on Ukraine and the West. Glück’s visit, which was not authorised as an official parliamentary mission, has raised questions of transparency, as he declined to disclose who invited him or whether he travelled alone. In his interview, Glück praised RT for offering “alternative perspectives,” accused Slovak media of bias, and endorsed a widely circulated but inaccurate claim that former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson blocked peace negotiations in Ukraine after receiving a financial donation—an allegation promoted by pro-Russian actors but unsupported by public records.
He further asserted that the United Kingdom covertly interfered in Slovakia’s 2023 elections by backing a civic campaign against his party. The trip follows Glück’s prior appearances in Russia alongside other coalition officials and his public alignment with controversial online personalities facing criminal charges in Romania. His conduct, including previous statements downplaying rape trauma and defending Russia’s domestic conditions, has drawn sustained criticism from civil society and opposition figures, intensifying scrutiny of Smer-SD’s alignment with authoritarian narratives and its handling of democratic accountability within the Slovak legislature.
Richard Glück, chair of the Slovak National Council’s Committee for Defence and Security and a member of the governing party Direction – Social Democracy (Smer-SD), recently travelled to Moscow to attend a gala event commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Russian state-controlled television network RT (formerly Russia Today). The event took place at the Bolshoi Theatre and featured a speech by Russian President Vladimir Putin. RT is operated by the state-owned news agency RIA Novosti and has been widely identified as a vehicle for disseminating Kremlin-aligned war propaganda beyond the borders of the Russian Federation.
Unanswered Questions Surround Glück’s Unofficial Moscow Mission
Glück did not respond to questions from the Slovak daily SME regarding the circumstances of his visit. He declined to state whether he travelled officially or privately, on whose invitation he went, or whether he was accompanied by others. According to Marián Kéry, chair of the National Council’s Foreign Affairs Committee and fellow Smer-SD party member, there had been no officially approved parliamentary trip to Moscow at that time. As committee chair, Kéry is responsible for authorising all foreign working visits by Members of Parliament.
During his time in Moscow, Glück gave a nine-minute interview to RT, conducted in English. In it, he expressed admiration for RT’s editorial approach and described his attendance at the gala as a personal highlight, particularly due to his meeting with American actor Steven Seagal. Seagal, who holds Russian citizenship and resides in Russia, is known for his support of the Russian leadership and regularly appears at state-sponsored events, including military parades.
In the interview, Glück criticised Slovak mainstream media for what he characterised as one-sided reporting, while praising so-called “alternative” outlets, which are often associated with disinformation and conspiracy theories. RT introduced the interview with a headline asserting that “Western media never explain the root causes of the war in Ukraine.” Glück reiterated this line and promoted a narrative that aligns closely with Russian talking points on the conflict.
Glück Amplifies Kremlin Messaging in Live RT Interview
Among the claims highlighted was an allegation concerning former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Glück stated that Slovak media had failed to report on what he characterised as evidence that Johnson had received a large financial donation from a businessman with defence industry ties and had subsequently dissuaded Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky from engaging in early peace talks with Russia. This version of events has circulated among pro-Russian commentators, including Slovak Member of the European Parliament Ľuboš Blaha, also from Smer-SD. The claim references reporting by the British newspaper The Guardian, which raised questions about the donor’s motivations but did not link the donation to any peace negotiations. The timeline of the events cited also does not align with available records. The Istanbul peace talks took place in early 2022, whereas the donation in question was officially reported months later, in November 2022. Johnson and the businessman visited Kyiv together in September 2023.
Glück also referred to allegations of foreign interference in Slovakia’s 2023 parliamentary elections, suggesting that a voter mobilisation campaign, presented as non-partisan, had been orchestrated by the United Kingdom to support the progressive opposition party Progresívne Slovensko and oppose Smer-SD, which ultimately won the election. The source article did not provide additional evidence to substantiate this claim.
This was not Glück’s first public endorsement of Russian positions. Earlier in 2024, he had also travelled to Moscow as part of a delegation that included Andrej Danko, Deputy Speaker of the Slovak National Council and leader of the Slovak National Party (SNS), as well as other Smer-SD MPs. On that occasion, Glück publicly praised the availability of basic consumer goods in Russia, citing the presence of toilet paper as an indicator that Western portrayals of economic hardship in the country were exaggerated.
In another incident during summer 2024, Glück posted a photograph from Romania showing himself alongside Erik Kaliňák, a Smer-SD Member of the European Parliament, and British-American internet personalities Andrew and Tristan Tate. The Tate brothers are facing criminal charges in Romania related to human trafficking, sexual assault, and forming an organised crime group. Glück captioned the image with a remark referring to “Russian agents” being gathered in one place. The Tate brothers are known for controversial public statements and have amassed a significant online following, particularly among young men.
Glück Drew Outrage in 2024 Over Comments Downplaying Rape Trauma
Glück has also attracted domestic criticism for remarks made during legislative debate in February 2024 regarding sexual violence. Speaking in favour of a government proposal to shorten the statute of limitations for rape prosecutions, he stated that a woman would know if she had been raped and should report it immediately. The statement provoked strong reactions from civil society organisations and opposition politicians. Although the proposed legal change was initially approved, it was later reversed following significant public and political backlash, with the existing 20-year limitation period ultimately retained.
Glück assumed the chairmanship of the Defence and Security Committee after his predecessor, Tibor Gašpar, was appointed Deputy Speaker of the National Council.
Source: Denník SME
