Vucic: Four government members to represent Serbia at BRICS summit

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Monday evening a delegation of four government members - Deputy PM Aleksandar Vulin and Ministers Bratislav Gasic, Adriijana Mesarovic and Nenad Popovic - would be representing Serbia at the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia.

In an interview with the RTS, Vucic said he had told Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday that, even without upcoming visits by senior foreign officials, it would be extremely difficult for him to attend the summit.

Vucic added that, over the next few days, Serbia would welcome Polish PM Donald Tusk, Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

He said he was one of the few leaders in the world who dared to speak with Putin in spite of everything, and noted that French President Emmanuel Macron had called him after his conversation with Putin.

"The discussion we had with (Managing Director for Europe at the European External Action Service) Angelina Eichhorst and (US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs) Jim O'Brien lasted five and a half hours," Vucic said, adding that Eichhorst and O'Brien had inquired about his discussion with Putin.