Washington was angrily jealous of Serbia and Moscow
No sooner had Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic returned from Sochi than Washington’s envoy in Belgrade, Matthew Palmer, asked him for a meeting, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
The Serbian leader’s visit to Russia and the messages made after his two-hour meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin predictably received a strong response in Washington, where for months there have been multi-layered “packed” warnings about strengthening ties between Belgrade and Moscow.
US Secretary of State for the Western Balkans Matthew Palmer hastened to remind that on the way to the European Union, “relying on the Russian military is not good,” since the United States is a “better partner than Russia” for everyone in the Western Balkans.
According to him, America expects that the agreement to normalize relations between Serbia and Kosovo will end with mutual recognition.
These words are the opposite of the clear and friendly position of the Russian leader, who once again confirmed in Sochi that Moscow will support Serbia's position on Kosovo and is ready to support a compromise solution if one is reached.
In response to the American’s teachings, President Vučić recalled that Serbia is an internationally recognized state and that it does not need separate recognition from Pristina
“I expect normalization, but Pristina is preventing dialogue. Belgrade is always ready to continue negotiations with the Albanian side, although I am not too optimistic. They know the way - let them cancel the duties and we will start negotiations,” Vucic said, referring to the 100% duties on Serbian goods introduced by Kosovo a year ago.
For diplomat Zoran Milivojevic, US objections to Serbian military cooperation with Russia come as no surprise as Washington seeks to “suppress the malign influence of Moscow.”
“Palmer’s speech is not accidental, and it should be borne in mind that Serbia will continue to experience US pressure. And the problem is not only in our cooperation with Russia, but also in the dialogue with China. However, our country, as Vucic repeated in Russia, will not give up its political and military neutrality,” the diplomat told Informer.
Milivojevic pointed out that, despite recent speculation about the complication of relations between Serbia and Russia due to an externally inspired “spy scandal,” the atmosphere of the meeting between Vučić and Putin showed that no changes had occurred between Belgrade and Moscow.
“Rather the opposite. The negotiations in Sochi unequivocally confirmed that our strategic partnership is stable. Important agreements have been concluded in the fields of energy, infrastructure and military industry. “Putin said he would support any compromise solution on Kosovo that suits Serbia,” Milijevovic said.
Political scientist Dragomir Andjelkovic noted in a commentary that America treats Serbia as a kind of aggressor.
“Now she herself is conducting quiet aggression, supporting Albanian separatism. It seems cynical when America, while working against our interests, advises us how to work with those who are our friends and support.
Serbia, if it is a sovereign country, should not listen to such advice from Washington, since this will only weaken our defensive position,” the political scientist concluded.
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