Putin's visit was dedicated to the centenary of the Russian Chapel, a memorial site below the Vršič mountain pass dedicated to Russian prisoners of war buried in a avalanche in the winter of 1916 while building a strategically important supply route to the Isonzo front for the Austro-Hungarians.

The Slovenian side was reiterating the commemorative and memorial nature of the visit and in his address to over 2,500 people gathered there, including current and former Slovenian officials, Putin restricted himself to the memory of Russian and Soviet soldiers while eschewing addressing the growing tensions between Russia and the West.

Putin said that the modest Chapel of St Vladimir was "a symbol of Russian-Slovenian friendship, of the common striving for peace and prosperity". He thanked "many generations of Slovenians" who have been taking care of the Russian Chapel for a century and preserving the memory of the victims of war and everything that "Russia had put on the altar" of both world wars.

Slovenia President Borut Pahor, his host, stressed that the ceremony gathered those who cared about peace, stressing that "we care whether there will be war or peace". "We believe war and peace are always subject to political decision. We reject the notion that war is inevitable. We accept responsibility for peaceful resolution of all disputes. We want lasting peace."

Both presidents delivered emotional speeches, with Putin's was interrupted several times by applause from the crowd even before it was translated into Slovenian, indicating a high turnout of Russian-speaking attendants and Slovenians understanding Russian.

In Ljubljana the presidents unveiled a memorial to Russian and Soviet soldiers who died on Slovenian territory during both world wars.

The monument comprises a colonnade of eight marble pillars of different height, the highest five metres tall, in a semi-circular arrangement topped by bronze cranes. The names of 3,000 soldiers killed on Slovenian territory are inscribed into the marble.

In his Russian Chapel speech, Putin said the monument would highlight the decisive role of the Soviet Union in liberating Europe from Nazism and the "immortal endeavour of the winners". It would reflect the shared common position on the inadmissibility of attempts at rewriting history.

Despite the commemorative nature of the visit, Putin's stay was an opportunity for talks on bilateral cooperation as well as international issues, in line with the Kremlin's designation of the event as a working visit.

Ahead of working talks with Pahor, Putin told the press the meeting offered an opportunity to "discuss the entire spectrum of Slovenian-Russian relations" as well as Russia's relations with the EU and NATO given that Slovenia is a member of both.

He emphasised the trade aspect of relations, a reference to economic sanctions that West had imposed against Russia due to its intervention in Ukraine. He said that trade had unfortunately declined, with the EU as well as the US, but noted that the EU had had much higher trade volumes than the US and had been accordingly more affected by the sanctions.

Pahor meanwhile said the talks were an opportunity to narrow the divide that emerged due to the enduring tensions between Russia and the West. "My wish is to try in a peaceful manner to remove the reasons for divergences...The freedom-loving world needs the cooperation of everyone," said the Slovenian president.

He said that "in these controversial times" the Russian Chapel ceremony helped "preserve Slovenian-Russian friendship to the extent possible". "Slovenia needs friends and would like to have as many as possible. Slovenia needs peace and would like to have the opportunity to develop all of its talents."

Putin ended his visit with a working dinner featuring ten guests on each side. Prime Minister Miro Cerar, Speaker Milan Brglez, Foreign Minister Karl Erjavec were among the guests on the Slovenian side, with Putin accompanied by the ministers of communication, culture, energy, transport and economic development.

It is not known what topics were discussed over dinner, but unofficial information indicates economic cooperation was among them. After the dinner, Putin already left for Russia.

Security was beefed up and the entire Gorenjsko region, NW, was on lockdown for much of the afternoon. The A2 motorway between Ljubljana and Jesenice was closed for hours, as was the northern and western Ljubljana ring roads and the Karavanke tunnel leading into Austria.

There had been fears that traffic chaos would ensue due to the final Saturday of July being the start of peak tourism season in Croatia. There were delays, but they were not unlike on any other summer weekend as automotive clubs in Austria, Croatia, Slovenia and Italy had for days promoted alternative routes bypassing the road closures.