Serbia will maintain its military neutrality, will not join NATO and will not introduce sanctions against Russia, said Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin at a meeting today with Russian President Vladimir Putin, world agencies report. quoted by BTA.
„Serbia, led by (Serbian President – ed.) Aleksandar Vucic, (...) will never become a member of NATO, (...) will never impose sanctions against the Russian Federation and never will not allow any anti-Russian operations to be conducted from its territory. Serbia is not and will not become part of the anti-Russian hysteria. We respect and value Russia. The forum I participate in shows how foolish it is to try to isolate Russia. Serbia will never participate in such a policy”, Vulin said in the conversation with Putin held within the framework of the Eastern Economic Forum in the Russian city of Vladivostok.
The statement by Vulin, who is a former head of the Serbian intelligence agency BIA, reflects the close relationship between Belgrade and Moscow, even though Serbia is a candidate country for EU membership, the Associated Press notes. The US imposed sanctions on Vulin last July, accusing him of involvement in illegal arms supply, drug trafficking, abuse of office and spreading Russian influence in the Balkans.
“It is a great honor for me to have the privilege of speaking with you," Vulin told Putin, adding that the meeting was encouraging for “all Serbs, wherever they live.
Serbia has refused to join Western sanctions against Russia imposed over the invasion of Ukraine, although it has condemned Moscow's aggression. President Aleksandar Vucic stated that the imposition of sanctions does not meet the national interests of Serbia.
Vulin also pointed out that Belgrade is "not only a strategic partner of Russia, but also an ally of Russia".
“And that is why the pressure on us from the West is huge”, the Serbian Deputy Prime Minister pointed out during the conversation with the Russian head of state.
Vulin's meeting with Putin came just days after French President Emmanuel Macron visited Serbia, when Belgrade signed an agreement to buy French Rafale fighter jets, a move seen as a possible move away from Moscow. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz earlier also visited Belgrade for the signing of an agreement between the EU and Serbia on raw materials needed for the green transition.
Alexander Vulin, in his capacity as Serbian Deputy Prime Minister, is responsible for relations between Serbia and Russia. In recent months, Vulin has frequently visited Russia, where, according to the Serbian government, he has spoken with representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defense and other institutions.
At today's meeting, Putin extended an invitation to his Serbian colleague Aleksandar Vucic to take part in the summit of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) group in Kazan, scheduled for October 22-24, TASS informed.
"Congratulate President Vucic. We are waiting for him at the events within the BRICS leaders' meeting in Kazan," said the Russian leader.
He also touched on the topic of Russian gas supplies to Serbia, stressing that Moscow supplies blue fuel to Belgrade under good conditions, but the two sides should discuss the issue of the expiration of the supply contract in 2025.
"As is known, Russia plays an essential role in providing energy resources for Serbia, doing it extremely correctly, at a high level, in a timely manner, under good, very good conditions for Serbia. We'll talk about that too. There are specific things that need to be addressed. I mean, for example, that our gas supply contract expires in March 2025," said Putin.