Vucic on Sanctions against Russia: Serbia Is a Sovereign Country That Makes Its Own Decisions

Aleksandar Vucic (BETAPHOTO/MILAN OBRADOVIC)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Oct. 20 that Serbia was an "independent and sovereign country that makes its own decisions" when asked by a journalist if anyone would attack him over a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"If someone was not attacking me every day, they would lose the purpose of their existence. Some will attack me over that, some for other things. But Serbia is an independent and sovereign country that reaches its own decisions," Vucic said after the opening of an exhibition titled Military Diplomacy on the Road to Freedom, held at the Serbian Presidency seat in honor of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Belgrade in World War II.

Earlier, Vucic posted on his Instagram account that he had spoken with Putin over the phone on the anniversary and that he "voiced the hope that Serbia would not introduce sanctions against the Russian Federation." Vucic told reporters that "Putin understands Serbia's position and weight."

He said Putin had invited him to attend the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazism in Moscow, and that the conversation had been a long talk among longtime acquaintances and friends.