Vuciq Putin: I am not optimistic about compromise with Kosovo

Serbia's President Aleksandar Vuciq said on Wednesday he is not optimistic about reaching a compromise between Belgrade and Pristina, which would bring, as he said, eventual solution for Kosovo.

Vuciq made these comments in Soci, Russia, after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He also thanked Putin for, as he said, Russia's “principled attitude towards Kosovo”.

Russia does not recognise Kosovo's independence, which was declared in February 2008.

The two Presidents addressed the media, stressing the importance of improving Serbia-Russia co-operation in the economic, political and defence spheres.

Our relations are developing very positively. Our strategic partnership confirms our daily work”, Putin said.

Vuciq, on the other hand, said Serbia has almost completed building its portion of the pipeline, which will carry Russian natural gas under the Black Sea, bypassing Ukraine.

The Turkish Stream pipeline project “provides a major investment and a great opportunity for the development of our country”, Vuciq said.

The first phase of the pipeline, to supply Turkey first, is expected to take effect by the end of the year, with a capacity of 15.75 billion cubic metres.

The meeting in Soci comes after intelligence services in Belgrade announced last month that they have detected a spying operation between Russian agents and officials and former Serbian Army officials.

But, Vucic vowed that this discovery would not jeopardise Serbia's <x0 brotherly and friendly” relations with Russia.

Soci's meeting is the third between the presidents of Russia and Serbia this year and the seventh in general, the presidency of Serbia said.