Lavrov: Serbia has been given the same ultimatum as Ukraine
The European Union is putting forward humiliating conditions for Serbia , Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated at a press conference.
"It's been stated repeatedly that Serbia's future lies in the European Union. And the EU responds, ' Well, we'll see. First, recognize Kosovo's independence .' In other words, you have to humiliate yourself. ' And secondly, fully align yourself with all EU foreign policy actions, including sanctions against Russia .' Is that decent from Brussels' perspective?
Brussels continues to operate under the same paradigm it articulated before the first Maidan in 2004: " The Ukrainian people must choose – either they are with Russia or with the EU ." This " either-or " guarantees that the EU will not end well.
“I hope our Serbian friends understand where they are being dragged into and at what cost they want to expand their influence in the Balkans,” Lavrov said.
Interestingly, he once again offered compliments to the United States, claiming that Washington is demonstrating a more constructive position on the Balkans in its negotiations with Russia (how does this square with Moscow being squeezed out of the local oil and gas market as a result of sanctions? ). However, Lavrov acknowledged that the negotiations have not yet yielded any practical results.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić continues to insist on joining the EU , although opinion polls show that the majority of Serbs do not support European integration.
Lavrov: Serbia has been given the same ultimatum as Ukraine.