Several local media reports, citing visuals and witnesses at the scene, report that the man who shot the Slovak PM is a writer and activist named Juraj Cintula.

While a clear motive has yet to be established, Cintula is said to be part of the pro-West and socially liberal "Progressive Slovakia" party.

Statements have poured in from Western leaders: "Shocked and appalled by the shooting of Prime Minister Robert Fico. I wish him strength for a speedy recovery. My thoughts are with Robert Fico, his loved ones, and the people of Slovakia," NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said on X.

Photographs have emerged of the shooter being taken into custody. He also appears to be wounded or have suffered injury after being swiftly taken down by security...

And from Hungary's Orban:

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Wednesday expressed "deep shock" over the "heinous attack against my friend" Slovakia's premier Robert Fico, who was reportedly shot and hospitalised after a cabinet meeting.

"I was deeply shocked by the heinous attack against my friend, Prime Minister Robert Fico. We pray for his health and quick recovery! God bless him and his country!," the nationalist fellow EU leader wrote on X.

Meanwhile, Russian media and others have pointed out that Fico's most controversial stance concerned Ukraine and NATO funding. Sputnik has the below partial list of recent controversies centering on the Slovak PM:

Fico earned NATO's ire after vowing to block the delivery of weapons to Ukraine during his latest run for office. Fico has also expressed dissatisfaction with Bratislava's defense pact with Washington, promising to review it.

Fico has expressed fervent opposition to Ukraine's membership in NATO, and said he believes Russia began its military operation as a result of neo-Nazis running rampant in Ukraine.

Fico has warned that Western military assistance to Ukraine will only prolong the crisis and increase the number of victims, and has accused foreign forces of meddling in the conflict, which "could have been extinguished at the very beginning."