“Serbia should join sanctions against Russia”

State Department Senior Adviser Derek Chollet said in a meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic that Serbia should join sanctions against Russia over the war it waged in Ukraine. He also said that Russia’s behaviour was unacceptable.

“We respect the views of the leaders in Belgrade, but for practical reasons we believe that Serbia must fulfil its destiny and cannot move forward until it adheres to sanctions. We are discussing this openly. Serbia has taken some important steps in the past period, such as voting against Russia at the UN, and we are ready to work with our friends in Belgrade to convince them to support Ukraine even more, which needs more support, but also to punish Russia’s behaviour,” Chollet said at a press conference, Euronews Serbia reports.

Asked about the paramilitary unit, the so-called “Wagner group”, Chollet said the US was very concerned about this, as it had seen the group’s actions all over the world, and now in Ukraine.

He added that the Wagner Group is recruiting soldiers in Serbia and around the world.

“We know that this group is recruiting soldiers both in Serbia and around the world, and that is a concern to us. That is why we are working with the government in Belgrade and around the world to neutralise their activities,” Chollet said.

The State Department Senior Adviser was in Kosovo yesterday for a series of meetings with Kosovo officials./The Geopost/