9 minutes agoEU voices concern for strengthening Serbia-Russia co-operation
Periskopi(4 years ago)
(4 years ago)The European Union has criticised Serbia's agreement with Russia on “regular consultations” in foreign policy on Monday. According to officials, this move has raised serious “questions”, at a time when Brussels has told countries that are EU membership candidates not to continue ordinary co-operation with Moscow. Russian Foreign Minister [...]
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Serbian counterpart Nikola Sekalovic signed a document called “plan for consultations on Friday”.
Sekalovic said consultations on bilateral and multilateral activities are envisioned, stressing that there is nothing there for security policies. Serbian opposition parties also criticised the document, Reuters writes.
NATO-run Serbia two decades ago is now seeking to join the European Union. But it has long made efforts to balance ties historically with Russia against aspirations for economic and political integration with the West.
Speaking to reporters in Brussels on Monday, Peter Stano, the EU spokesman, noted that the Russian-Serbian document for consultations was signed just days after Moscow announced a mobilization for the Ukrainian war and began organising referenda in populated regions with ethnic Russians.
We are taking this very seriously and following this”, Stano said.
Serbian officials did not immediately respond to Stano's request for comment. Although Serbia has condemned Ukraine's Russian invasion of the United Nations, it has refused to join sanctions against Moscow.
