Russian Foreign Ministry: We are not trying to abuse friendly relations with Serbia

The Russian Foreign Ministry said that Russia is not trying to abuse friendly relations with Serbia, adding that the statements of Russian officials do not give anyone a reason to accuse Moscow of the opposite.

“The assessments and statements of Russian officials do not give anyone a reason and the right to accuse us of insinuations and attempts to “abuse” traditional friendly and sincere relations with Serbia, which are always based on equality, respect and mutual understanding,” the Russian ministry said in a statement.

The statement added: “We and Serbia have full mutual understanding on the most important international issues. In the course of our contacts with our partners, we frankly express our position on the situation in Ukraine in the light of the special military operation. We respect Belgrade’s desire to maintain a balanced and independent policy in these difficult conditions.” He explained that “such a balanced position is reflected in the conservative position of the Serbian leadership in relation to the Western sanctions policy and its initial unwillingness to participate in it to the detriment of its own interests.”

He continued: “Of course, this is a sovereign choice that the West cannot accept and, unlike us, is trying to put pressure on the Serbs.”

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Mining and Energy Zorana Mihajlovic said earlier that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov “abuses Belgrade’s refusal to impose sanctions against Russia” and presents this as Serbia’s non-existent support for a special operation in Ukraine. These harsh statements came against the backdrop of a visit by Serbian Interior Minister Alexander Volin to Moscow last week, during which Sergey Lavrov indicated that Moscow and Belgrade are committed to the principles of indivisibility and equal security for all countries “in the Balkans and in the situation raised by the West in Ukraine “.

Source: RIA Novosti

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