Thousands of Slovaks have taken to the streets as protests against the pro-Russia policies of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico spread from Slovakia's capital to towns and cities across the country and abroad.

The protests started back in December after Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. #EuropeNews

Thousands of protesters in the Slovak capital held banners and chanted slogans on Friday accusing Prime Minister Robert Fico of dragging the country towards Russia after he met President Vladimir Putin last month amid a gas dispute with Ukraine.

Protesters gathered in Bratislava and other Slovak cities on Friday to rally against the government's drive to seek closer ties with Russia despite its invasion of Ukraine.

Slovaks gathered in the streets of Bratislava to voice their opposition to Prime Minister Robert Fico's stance. The crowd demanded a shift in foreign policy and an end to cooperation with Russia. On Friday,