My word worth more than someone else's firm promise - Vucic tells TASS

MOSCOW - In an interview for Russia's TASS news agency, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has said he intends to maintain an independent policy of not imposing sanctions against Russia despite colossal pressure from the West.

"We are not beating our chests or anything but, as you can see, my response will remain that we will be trying to defend our position for as long as possible. We have been able to do that for two years. Will we continue to do that? I do not know, but I hope so," Vucic told TASS Director General Andrey Kondrashov.

"When the conflict in Ukraine started, I said that I do not know how events would unfold. And then we made a decision to condemn the conflict at state level, just like everyone else, but we said that it is our position not to impose sanctions. I said it back then, because we know from our own experience what it feels like when sanctions are imposed against you. We have a friendly nation, and it would have been unfair to do so to the Russian people," Vucic added.

"But I have told the Serbs that I cannot guarantee that, because I do not know what all this pressure will be like in the future. I was unwilling to play a hero for a day or two and then change my decision. But the fact is that I say 'I do not know,' and when I say 'I do not know' - my word is worth more than someone else’s firm promise," Vucic noted.