“It has been Russia’s most reliable ally for centuries”, Putin appreciates Serbia’s loyalty

Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed his appreciation for Serbia’s centuries-long loyalty to Russia.

At the closing ceremony of the World Youth Festival, he said that the Serbs have been “Russia’s most reliable allies for centuries”, reports The Geopost.

“Relations between Russia and Serbia are of a special nature… I would like to emphasize that the Serbs have been Russia’s most reliable allies for centuries. We know this, remember it and appreciate it,” Putin said.

Putin also said: “Montenegro has always been a state that is close to us and the people who live there – in faith and culture.”

Serbia and Russia are traditional allies in Russia’s efforts to maintain influence in the Western Balkans region through Serbia.

Serbia, a candidate country for membership of the European Union, has failed to adapt its foreign policy to the Union so as not to damage relations with Russia. It did not impose sanctions against Russia after it started a full-scale war in Ukraine, becoming the second country in Europe after Belarus not to punish brutal Russian aggression.

Serbia not only did not impose sanctions, but also helped Russia by supplying goods that were sanctioned by Western countries.

Customs data from international trade databases analyzed by Radio Free Europe show that Serbian companies have sent at least $71.1 million worth of sanctioned dual-use goods to Russia since Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Serbia is also the only European country that continues to sign cooperation agreements with Moscow.

In addition to support from the Serbian regime towards Russia and its policies, the public sentiment of Serbs during the war in Ukraine was pro-Russian, with over 70% of Serbs supporting Russia against Ukraine. Posters with Putin’s image have appeared in Belgrade and across Serbia, admiring him for his aggression in Ukraine.

/TheGeopost/