Vladimir Putin, Aleksandar Vučić,Moscow , May 9 2025 ( Photo: PrintScreeen Instagram/buducnostsrbijeav)
In the opening of his meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Beijing on Sept. 2, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said that, despite great pressure, Belgrade would try to remain the only country in Europe which had not introduced anti-Russian sanctions.
During the meeting in Beijing, where both presidents have arrived for the 80th anniversary of the surrender of Japan in World War II, Vucic thanked Russia for its support in preserving Serbia’s territorial integrity and its friendly attitude towards the Serbian people.
“Serbia has been under great pressure since the beginning of the Ukrainian crisis. We are in a very difficult situation, but we have managed to maintain a principled position of not imposing sanctions against Russia. We will try to remain the only country in Europe which has not imposed anti-Russian sanctions,” Vucic said.
Vucic also said it was very important for Serbia to ensure cooperation at the highest level with Russia across all areas, especially in the energy sector, adding that all Russian companies wishing to participate in infrastructure projects in Serbia were welcome, including Russian Railways RZD, Rosatom (State Atomiс Energy Corporation) and others.
Putin said that Russia respected Serbia's independent political course under Vucic’s leadership and that the strategic partnership between the two countries had rendered positive results for both, Russia and Serbia.
He also said that in the previous period, a decline had been recorded in economic activities between Serbia and Russia, but added that the Russia-Serbia Joint Committee on Trade, Economic and Scientific-Technical Cooperation should meet by the end of the year.
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