Peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Serbia? “We are ready to organize them”

Serbia is willing and ready to organize peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, declared Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djurić in an interview with the American Fox News television.

– We maintain good relations with all parties involved (in the war in Ukraine and efforts to end it – PAP), so we will be ready, if necessary and if there is interest, to organize talks on how to put an end to this terrible tragedy that has caused so many victims and destruction – assured the head of Serbian diplomacy.

– Serbia supports the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all states, in accordance with their borders (recognized at the UN forum), including Ukraine, he added. – We are proud of our independent foreign and security policy, which is deeply rooted in the history of our nation and has allowed us to remain independent for centuries, even though we are a small country, he said, commenting on maintaining contacts with both sides of the war in Ukraine.

In the US, Djurić took part in a meeting of the UN Security Council on Kosovo – a former province of Serbia, whose independence, announced in 2008, is not recognized by the authorities in Belgrade.

After Russia's full-scale attack on Ukraine in 2022, Serbia accepted thousands of Ukrainian refugees, repeatedly condemned Russian aggression and sent humanitarian aid to Kiev. Belgrade also supports the territorial integrity of Ukraine – within the borders of the Crimean Peninsula, illegally annexed by Russia in 2014.

At the same time, the Serbian government maintains contacts with Russia and refuses to join the sanctions imposed on this country. In May this year, President Aleksandar Vucic went to Moscow to celebrate the anniversary of the USSR's victory in World War II. On this occasion, for the first time since 2022, he officially met with the leader of Russia, Vladimir Putin. Previously, the Serbian leader met several times with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky.

At the end of May, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) criticized Serbia for exporting ammunition to Ukraine “contrary to its declared neutrality.” Vucic assured in response to the report of the Russian services that the authorities in Belgrade would stop domestic arms exports to areas affected by military operations.

Jakub Bawołek (PAP)

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