Lavrov: EU is blackmailing Serbia's Vučić over Russia and Kosovo

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused the European Union of "blackmailing" and "mistreating" Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, asserting that the EU is pressuring Serbia to align with its decisions regarding Russia and to recognize Kosovo's independence. Lavrov stated that Vučić has been "bravely resisting" this pressure for over a year.

“

In this stage, the European Union is mistreating him, simply blackmailing him. He has been bravely resisting this pressure for more than a year.

In an interview, Lavrov described the EU's demands as "rude and brazen," comparing the bloc's behavior to that of a "Fourth Reich." He acknowledged that Vučić, a seasoned politician, is committed to European integration but emphasized that Serbia faces a difficult position. Lavrov also highlighted Russia's beneficial gas supply to Serbia, noting that Moscow's only request is that Serbia does not participate in arming the Ukrainian regime.

“

The EU is forcing Serbia to recognize Kosovo's independence and to join all EU procedures and decisions towards Russia.

Lavrov further commented on a question posed by a German journalist to Vučić and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Belgrade, which asked how Europeans could help Ukraine "kill more Russians." Lavrov called for a reaction from Serbia, referencing its significant contribution to the victory over Nazism. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova echoed these sentiments, deeming calls to kill people based on nationality "unacceptable and criminal" and pointing to the German journalist's grandfather's alleged Nazi ties.

“

President Vučić is not having an easy time. He is a very experienced politician. And he is committed to the course of European integration.