Serbia will not be territory for anti-Russian activities, Vulin tells Putin

VLADIVOSTOK - Serbian Deputy PM Aleksandar Vulin met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on Wednesday, noting that Serbia would not be a territory for anti-Russian activities.

During the meeting, Vulin noted that "the Serbia led by President Aleksandar Vucic will not become a member of the NATO pact, that it will not impose sanctions on the Russian Federation and that it will not be a territory from which anti-Russian activities will be carried out," said a statement released by Vulin's office.

Vulin expressed great gratitude to Putin for the Russian Federation's firm position on respect of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia and non-recognition of the false state of Kosovo.

He also noted that he was proud Serbia was the only country in Europe that had not imposed sanctions on Russia or joined an anti-Russian hysteria.

He especially thanked Putin for the Russian Federation's principled position in the UN General Assembly and its vote "against the shameful Srebrenica resolution, just like, in 2015, at President Vucic's personal request, Putin prevented the passage of a British UN resolution declaring the Serbs a genocidal nation."

Vulin noted that Serbia and Russia were connected not only by the past but also by a common future.

He conveyed Vucic's regards to Putin.

Vulin and Putin agreed that bilateral cooperation was on a high level and that advancement and strengthening of the comprehensive Serbian-Russian strategic friendship continued to the benefit of the two brotherly nations, the Serbs and the Russians, the statement concluded.

According to a report by the Russian RIA Novosti news agency, Putin told Vulin he expected Vucic to attend an upcoming BRICS forum in Kazan, Russia.