Lavrov Says Will Discuss All Matters of Interest to Serbian Friends with Vucic

Sergei Lavrov (BetaPhoto/Milos Miskov)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that he would discuss with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic all matters of interest to, as he said, his Serbian friends when he visited Belgrade.

Speaking in an interview with Republika Srpska TV on June 5, the Russian foreign minister said that Vucic had discussed the terms of an arrangement on gas supplies with the Russian president a few days before, and that the two presidents had reached an agreement in principle, which should be elaborated within the companies involved. Minister Lavrov said that Russia would like to hear what Vucic, and other Serbian politicians thought about the new situation, and that it would be “very interesting to hear what they think about the European Union’s mediating role.”

Speaking on Russia’s view on talks about the future of Kosovo, the Russian official said that they had to be based on U.N. Security Council Resolution 1244, adding that President Putin had repeatedly made it clear, in his meetings with Vucic as well as his public appearances, that Russia absolutely supported Serbia’s stance, and that it would support a decision that was acceptable to the Serbian people.

The Russian foreign ministry announced that Minister Lavrov would stay in Serbia on June 6 and June 7 for meetings with the Serbian president and other government officials.