Serbian leader rejects proposal of imposing sanctions on Russia
(MENAFN) Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has firmly rejected the idea of imposing sanctions on Russia in exchange for accelerated European Union accession, emphasizing that Serbia will not compromise its principles for political or economic gain.
On Saturday, Vucic pushed back against comments made by his own EU Integration Minister, Nemanja Starovic, who had recently suggested that Serbia might align with EU sanctions against Moscow if such a move would speed up its path to membership. The president dismissed this notion, stating, “Serbia will not impose sanctions on the Russian Federation.”
He stressed that maintaining balanced relations with both the European Union and Russia remains Serbia’s official position, adding that this approach “has proven to be correct so far.” Vucic called it the policy of “the independent and sovereign state of Serbia,” and criticized his minister’s remarks as “careless,” arguing that some media outlets had been too quick to misrepresent Serbia’s stance.
In an interview earlier in the week, Starovic explained Serbia’s opposition to sanctions by saying they “would not affect Russia at all” but would significantly damage Serbia’s economy. He added that Serbia would consider aligning fully with EU foreign policy only once “EU membership is in sight.”
Serbia continues to stand out in Europe for its refusal to adopt sanctions against Russia or explicitly support Ukraine in the ongoing conflict. Vucic has repeatedly acknowledged that Belgrade faces considerable pressure from the EU to shift its neutral position and reduce its ties with Moscow.
Despite that pressure, the Serbian leader was among the few European heads of state who attended Russia’s Victory Day commemorations in May. During his visit to Moscow, where he met with President Vladimir Putin, Vucic reaffirmed Serbia’s commitment to ongoing energy cooperation with Russia. He was joined at the event by Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, in a move that further highlighted divisions within Europe over relations with Moscow.
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