But Belgrade will expand cooperation with NATO.
Serbia refused to place a Russian military base on its territory. But Belgrade decided to move towards expanding cooperation with NATO.
Rossiyskiy Kommersant writes about this , citing its own sources.
Last week, Russian Ambassador Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko made a statement about the deployment of a Russian military base in Serbia.
“The creation of a Russian military base in Serbia is a sovereign affair of this country, plus it is a matter of the interests of the Russian Federation itself,” the diplomat said at the time.
At the same time, he stated that the position of Serbia in the Balkan region in military-technical terms is much stronger than it seems. The diplomat stressed that Serbia is now beginning to be reckoned with.
However, President Aleksandar Vucic said that “Serbia does not need anyone’s military bases.”
“Serbia will maintain military neutrality and allied relations. It is not shy about ties with Russia, China, the US and the EU, but it will take care of itself,” the Serbian leader said in an interview with TV Prva.
Sources told the Russian edition that Serbia has abandoned the idea of hosting a Russian military base in favor of expanding cooperation with NATO.
Now the country has stepped up cooperation with the Alliance at the military base South in the vicinity of Buyanovac. This was confirmed by the head of the US office for defense cooperation, Alessandro Pedraza. According to him, Washington and Belgrade at the Yug base will develop the Serbian army’s main training center according to NATO standards, as well as the training of Serbian units for peacekeeping operations.
(C)UNIAN 2022
It looks like Serbia is smelling a looming defeat for its big master and tries to save what’s salvageable.
The only smart thing they have done in years.
I guess they see the hand writing on the wall.
Yep, no sense in boarding a sinking ship.
I was in Serbia some weeks ago and I can confirm: they are nuts and tourist stalls even sell t-shirts with a “Z” on it.
They are completely brainwashed.
Zerbia……
I am Serb and you are not normal when you insult us,we love Ukrainans same as we love Russians,Poles and Belarussians….you are our brothers and sisters and you will be that forever.In Serbia you can find so many Ukrainans and nobody do anything bad to them.They are more then welcome and they will be forever welcome in our country.
Your fellow countrymen keep voting for politicians that grovel to fuhrer putler.
Now is a good time for your people to make a 180° turn by denouncing RuZZian genocide and unequivocally supporting Ukraine.
Belive me in Serbia only minority love Putin but they are so loud(first of all football hooligans and some pro-russian far right organisations),ordinary people 85% just want peace between our two brothers nation Ukrainans and Russians.I LOVE Ukraine more then Russia…you are much closer to us(that is my opinion) I visited Lviv 2007 and I feel like I am in my country. I wishing absolutely all the best to you my dear Ukranian brothers and sisters and I respect sovereignty of Ukraine.
All do best to you.
Thank you Aleksandar it is good to hear from you. L’viv is a wonderful city and represents Ukraine very well. L’viv stole my heart on my first visit too…..also in 2007 🙂
I’m afraid you are too even-handed. I respect your politeness; clearly you are not a troll and your beliefs are genuine, but in your first post you said and I quote : “we love Ukrainans same as we love Russians,Poles and Belarussians.”
That is just not acceptable. You are declaring love for the citizens of a genocidal nazi regime that is intent on wiping Ukraine off the map, with the support of those citizens.
I suggest that you study the details of the 22,000 RuZZian attacks on innocent Ukrainian civilians and have a rethink.
Btw I am not Ukrainian. I just want RuZZia to stop its genocide and leave Ukraine forever. Also it must leave all the other lands it illegally occupies.