West interviews Belgrade after signing an agreement with Moscow promising long-term consultations on foreign policy.
The European Union and the United States questioned Serbia’s proclaimed commitment to join the 27-nation European bloc after Belgrade signed an agreement with Moscow promising long-term ‘consultations’ on policy issues foreign amid Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Serbian officials signed the accord Friday in New York with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, where most Western delegations shunned Russia’s top diplomat during the invasion of Ukraine by the country.
Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic signed the document entitled “consultation plan”. He said the plan envisaged consultations on bilateral and multilateral activities, although there was nothing on security policies. Serbian opposition parties criticized the document.
The Serbian Foreign Ministry has sought to downplay the significance of the signed agreement, saying it is a “technical” agreement and related to bilateral relations and not to security issues.
Although Serbia has said it supports Ukraine’s territorial integrity, its right-wing government has repeatedly refused to join Western sanctions against Slavic ally Russia. Alignment of foreign policies with the EU is one of the main conditions for joining the bloc, but Serbia has increasingly defied calls to do so.
News of the deal drew heavy criticism from European and US officials.
European Commission spokesman Peter Stano warned on Monday that Serbia’s relations with Russia cannot be “business as usual” under the current circumstances where Moscow is violating the UN Charter with its armed forces committing atrocities in Ukraine.
“It is a very clear sign of their intention to strengthen their ties, to further strengthen the relations between Serbia and Russia and it raises serious questions,” he said. “We take this very seriously and we follow this.”
US Ambassador to Serbia Christopher R Hill said “further alignment with Russia is a step in the wrong direction and contrary to Serbia’s stated European aspirations.”
“The United States believes that no country should expand cooperation with Russia as it continues its war of aggression against Ukraine,” Hill said in a statement to the Associated Press news agency.
“The news of this signed agreement with Russia is surprising and contrasts sharply with other constructive meetings in New York with Serbian officials.”
Under the 10-year rule of Serbian populist leader Aleksandar Vucic, a former ultranationalist, Serbia has gradually moved away from its proclaimed EU goals and established close political ties with Russia.
Ivana Stradner, an adviser to the Foundation for Defense of Democracies based in Washington, DC, said on Twitter that the consultations between Belgrade and Moscow are “one more Vucic’s balancing act between Washington and Moscow“.
“Did he also tell them about the NATO exercise next week? said Stradner.
Serbia and Russia today signed the consultation plan for 2023-2024. Another balancing act by Vucic between Washington and Moscow. Did he also tell them about the NATO exercise next week? 🙂pic.twitter.com/ls0bw3wW1s
— Ivana Stradner 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@ivanastradner) September 23, 2022