Russian Journalist: Serbia Direct Exponent of Russian Policy in the Balkans

Vucic, Putin (Alexei Nikolsky, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Russian journalist Gennady Viktorovich Sysoyev said on Dec. 30 that Serbia was a direct exponent of Russian policy in the Balkans and that Russia's pro-government media was already reporting about plans to build a Russian nuclear base in Serbia.

"Serbia is approaching Russia and China more and more and at the same time distancing itself from the EU. I do not know whether (Serbian President Aleksandar) Vucic has crossed the point of no return at this time. In any case, consciously or not, he is near this point," Sysoyev said in an interview with the Vojvodina Autonomija website.

He added that the West's negative reactions to Serbia's behavior were visible and recalled a letter written by a group of U.S. congressmen calling on the Washington administration to impose sanctions against the regime in Belgrade, among other things for, according to them, Serbia growing extremely close to Russia and China.

Sysoyev also said that Russia would support Vucic for as long as there were people who espoused a clear policy of turning to Russia in key positions. He added that Vucic's recent visit to Russia was "a public performance," because the price of gas had been set earlier, which Vucic knew.