BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) -- Thousands of Slovaks took to the streets on Friday 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 latest wave of anti-government rallies was fueled by Fico's unexpected trip to Moscow before Christmas to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Fico's meeting with Putin is "unacceptable," protest organizer Lucia ?tasselová from the Peace to Ukraine's nongovernmental organization told the crowd in Bratislava.

?tasselová said that Fico went to Moscow "at a time when our neighbors face a huge military aggression, at a time when the whole civilized and democratic world condemns this aggression."

"We're ashamed of Fico," the crowd chanted.

Fico said that his trip, a rare visit to the Kremlin by a European Union leader since Moscow's all-out invasion of Ukraine began on Feb. 24, 2022, was a reaction to Ukraine's move to halt Russian gas supplies to European customers through its pipeline network after a prewar transit deal expired at the end of 2024.

Slovakia has no shortage of gas supplies and can receive it through other EU countries, the government said. But Fico said that his country would lose around 500 million euros ($515 million) a year in transit fees.

He threatened to end sending electricity supplies to Ukraine, reduce support for Ukrainian refugees, halt humanitarian aid and block EU financial aid to Ukraine in retaliation.

The crowd condemned Fico's plan.

"Fico acts as an agent of a foreign power," former Foreign Minister Rastislav Ká?er said.

The rallies also took place in more than a dozen places, including locations in Slovakia, Czech capital Prague and Krakow, Poland, organizers said. They said that their protests would continue.

Fico's views on Russia have sharply differed from the European mainstream.

He returned to power last year after his leftist party Smer (Direction) won a parliamentary election on a pro-Russia and anti-American platform. Since then, he has ended Slovakia's military aid for Ukraine, lashed out at EU sanctions on Russia and vowed to block Ukraine from joining NATO.