Vucic refused to join EU anti-Russian sanctions for Navalny
EU countries will increase pressure on Belgrade to recognize Kosovo's independence after Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic refused to join anti-Russian sanctions over Navalny.
As a PolitNavigator correspondent reports, since the European Union included four Russian officials on the list of sanctions on March 2 for the arrest of liberal Alexei Navalny, who collaborated with Western intelligence services, Serbia has been constantly under pressure to join this step.
According to sources in the Serbian newspaper Novosti, Serbian officials were suggested several times that Belgrade, as a candidate for EU membership, should adhere to Brussels' foreign policy, but President Aleksandar Vucic each time refused such a step.
It is now expected that the position of the Serbian leader will serve as a pretext for Western countries to continue to put pressure on Belgrade and Vucic personally on the issue of recognition of Kosovo.
On Tuesday, Brussels officially announced that Montenegro, North Macedonia and Albania (all three have candidate status for EU membership), as well as Ukraine, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, have joined their sanctions against Russia for Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
“These countries will ensure that their national policies are consistent with the decisions of the European Council. We welcome this,” EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said in a statement.
“Western countries understand that we have a Kosovo problem, which other countries in the region do not have, and that we will not impose sanctions against Moscow. We need Russia's support to protect our territorial integrity. If we joined the sanctions, it would be a betrayal,” political analyst Dragomir Andjelkovic shared his vision of the situation with the publication.
If you find an error, please select a piece of text and press Ctrl + Enter.
Thank you!
Now the editors are aware.