Kathrine Frich
Vladimir Putin appears increasingly determined to hold on to the allies he still has left.
Russia has already watched several key partners weakened or pushed out of power in recent years, from Bashar al-Assad fleeing Syria to growing US war with Iran and the collapse of Moscow-friendly governments like in Hungary.
This makes the alliances he already have much more important.
Energy alliance
In an interview with TASS, Serbian Minister Nenad Popovic praised Russia as Serbia’s most important energy partner and defended the country’s close cooperation with Gazprom.
“Serbia receives gas at the most favorable price in Europe and on the best supply terms,” Popovic said.
He added that Russian energy remained “a key factor in the stability of the Serbian economy” as global oil and gas prices continue rising.
Kremlin contact
Popovic also pointed to direct communication between Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Vladimir Putin as proof of the close relationship between the two countries.
“During a recent telephone conversation between our President Aleksandar Vucic and Russian President Vladimir Putin, various topics were discussed, including energy security,” the minister said according to Tass.
“These are agreements at the highest level. Constant contact between our presidents is very important for us,” he added.
Refusing sanctions
Vucic meanwhile defended his refusal to join Western sanctions against Russia despite continued pressure from the European Union.
“If Serbia had imposed sanctions against Russia, I would have been proclaimed the greatest democratic leader in the world,” Vucic said during an interview on Informer TV.
“But I would have betrayed the soul of our people,” the Serbian leader added.
Between East and West
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Serbia has officially backed Ukraine’s territorial integrity while refusing to sanction Moscow.
Vucic has repeatedly described Russians and Ukrainians as “brotherly nations” and insisted Belgrade wants to maintain ties with both sides.
But Serbia’s dependence on Russian gas and its increasingly defiant rhetoric toward Europe continue fueling concerns in Brussels that one of the Balkans’ key states is drifting further toward Moscow.
Sources: TASS, Informer TV
