Hill wants an explanation for the Serbian-Russian deal last week: No one now signs something with Russia

US Ambassador to Belgrade Christopher Hill said he expects explanations from Serbia of what the co-operation document he signed with Russia during UN works last week.

During a media conference at the opening of a regional forum for good governance, Hill said that “is not fully clear” on what the document contains, but that “at this moment nobody should have signed something with Russia”.

And nobody's signing anything with Russia anyway. It's hard to understand, but we're waiting for an explanation”, Hill said.

He added that the US supports Serbia on its path to membership in the European Union and also supports giving up its energy dependence on Russia “based on blackmail”, but that assistance will be as much as Serbia requires.

The US ambassador said the US wants to hear what Serbia wants with the signing of an agreement with a state that “brutically attacked its neighbour” and is threatening to use nuclear weapons.

The foreign ministers of Serbia and Russia, Nikola Selakovic, and Sergei Lavrov, in New York 23 September signed the Consultation Plan between the two ministries for the next two years.

According to Serbia, this agreement was signed in the margins of the UN General Assembly.

Meanwhile, EU Ambassador to Serbia Emmanuel Jovre said Serbia signed a co-operation document with Russia at the time Moscow is continuing its invasion of Ukraine.

Geoffrey said the EU expects “for Serbia to stand in defense of European values and international law”.

“With the signing of the agreement for co-operation with Russia, Serbia sent a completely opposite message, despite saying it would not recognise the results of the false referenda Russia is conducting on Ukraine's occupied territory”, he said.

Serbia's Foreign Minister, Nikola Selakovic, said the Consultation Plan with Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs “has been signed since 1996, every two years”, stressing that technical issues such as bilateral relations and multilateral activities” are in question.

This is the first diplomatic document Serbia and Russia have signed since 24 February, when the Russian invasion in Ukraine began.

Despite Serbia voting several UN resolutions condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has begun on 24 February, Serbia refuses calls to impose sanctions on Russia and harmonise foreign policy with the EU.