VLADIVOSTOK – During a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Vladivostok, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin stated that Serbia, under the leadership of Aleksandar Vučić, will never become a NATO member and will never impose sanctions on Russia, and will never allow any anti-Russian actions to be conducted from its territory.
“Serbia has not, and will not, become part of the anti-Russian hysteria”, Vulin said. He added that Serbia respects Russia, and the Eastern Economic Forum is proof of how wrong and foolish it is to try to isolate Russia.
He emphasised that Serbia will never never participate in such a policy.
“When Russia cares about Serbia, when it cares where we live and what Serbia does, it makes things easier for Serbs. If Russia had not endured through all these centuries, there would be no Serbia. We are peoples connected not only by a shared past but also by a shared future”, Vulin said.
He conveyed to Putin the “personal, warm, brotherly greetings of President Aleksandar Vučić” and expressed the desire for Putin to continue leading Russia for the benefit of its people.
Putin reminded Vulin that Russia plays a significant role in ensuring energy supplies to Serbia “under excellent conditions for Belgrade”.
“Unfortunately, regarding trade and economic relations, we see a slight decline in trade volume, and I know you in the Serbian government are addressing these issues”, Putin said.
Two met on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok.
Earlier, the EU, in a response to Radio Free Europe, stated that Serbia maintaining ties with Russia during the aggression against Ukraine is incompatible with Union values and the accession process.
“The European Union has been crystal clear with our partners, relations with Russia can not return to normal after Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified aggressive war against Ukraine”, the EU said. They stated that EU wants to rely on all candidate countries as reliable European partners for shared principles, values, security and prosperity.
The State Department spokesperson noted that the position on Aleksandar Vulin is well known and recalled that he remains under US sanctions.
“Our focus remains on working with leaders in Serbia to strengthen the strategic partnership between our countries, as Serbia continues to build a secure and stable future in European that is resilient. to political and economic coercion from Russia”, the State Department Spokesperson said to Voice of America.
U. S. Department of Treasury sanctions Serbian chief of Security Intelligence Agency Vulin