Top Serbian Diplomat Says Wrong To Sanction Russia After Supporting Belgrade On Kosovo

Top Serbian Diplomat Says Wrong to Sanction Russia After Supporting Belgrade on Kosovo

Nt News / Sputnik - 26th January, 2023) Serbia joining sanctions against Russia would be wrong as Moscow supports Serbia on the issue of Kosovo, even though Belgrade does not recognize the results of referendums in the Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics and the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, Serbia's First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said on Thursday

BELGRADE (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 26th January, 2023) Serbia joining sanctions against Russia would be wrong as Moscow supports Serbia on the issue of Kosovo, even though Belgrade does not recognize the results of referendums in the Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics and the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, Serbia's First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said on Thursday.

"As you know, we did not join sanctions against Russia due to our national, state and economic interests, and for reasons of cooperation. But also because of Serbia's issue with the territorial integrity and sovereignty in relation to Kosovo, in which Russia has supported Serbia across other forums.

It would be wrong if Serbia now imposed sanctions against Russia," Dacic said at a joint press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in Ankara.

Dacic stressed that Serbia and Turkey aspire to be constructive forces in maintaining world peace and stability, and taking any side in conflicts is not in their interests.

At the same time, Belgrade will do everything to convey their disapproval of the "violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity," Dacic noted.

On Wednesday, Dacic said in an interview with EURACTIV Serbia that Belgrade might change its position on sanctions against Russia if it was in Serbia's interest.