Russia trusts to maintain good relations with Serbia after the resignation of Vucic

“Rand we affirm our readiness to continue close and fruitful cooperation with the authorities of Serbia on all issues on the bilateral, regional and international agenda,” said the spokesman of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakhrova, in a statement.

The representative added that relations between Moscow and Belgrade are very solid and are based on a “vision of the shared world and respect for true values”.

“ We are confident that the continuity of these links will benefit the national interests of both countries and strengthen peace and stability in the Balkans,” he said.

The spokesman for Russian diplomacy highlighted the personal contribution of the Serbian resigned President Aleksandar Vucic to the development of bilateral relations, which remain at a high level, despite the “strong pressures” exerted on Belgrade.

Ana Brnabic, who was in charge of the Serbian parliament, took the interim presidency of the country today, after Vucic resigned as head of state to be able to run as a candidate for Prime Minister in the early parliamentary elections on October 25.

Vucic announced his resignation after the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), his political strength, had appointed him as a candidate to lead the next government.

Serbia, with 6.6 million inhabitants and the main republic resulting from the former Yugoslavia, has been negotiating for more than a decade its accession to the European Union (EU), but without major progress.

Despite its proximity to Moscow, Serbia received in August this year, for the first time since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Zelensky and Vucic met in Belgrade in an attempt to strengthen links between countries.

Ukrainian officials pointed out at the time that the visit constituted a ‘smack’ against Moscow and stressed the importance of ‘removing Serbia from Moscow’s sphere of influence’.

Serbia has never adhered to European sanctions against Russia because of the war in Ukraine, while maintaining a close relationship with Moscow and also with China.