Ukrainian MP: Vucic is manipulative, Putin has great influence in Serbia and he needs clashes in the region

Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Goncharenko has warned about the danger of Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Western Balkans region.

Goncharenko said that Russia fits the clashes in the region and said that Russia has influence in Serbia.

“I am sure that Russia really wants to intervene, because for Putin any destabilization is already a victory.” He has a lot of influence in Serbia, and I would be very careful about that. Putin’s future skirmishes are urgent. We need to divert attention from the war in Ukraine so that the world will be less active in helping us. So I won’t be surprised that he will do everything he can to stir up trouble in the Balkans. You have to be very careful about that. Provocations are not allowed,” he told Gazeta Express.

Goncharenko on the statement of the Serbian president, who said that if Ukraine recognizes Kosovo, it will “lose everything in one day”, he said he is manipulative.

“As I said, Vucic is manipulative. He talks about good relations between our countries. Let’s start with the most obvious, shall we? Has Serbia imposed sanctions against Russia? NO. Does it actively support Ukraine’s position? I don’t see that either. I would like to hear from President Vučić: What exactly are we going to lose?”

Goncharenko said that in Ukraine there are opinions both for and against the recognition of Kosovo’s independence.

“In our society, there are still debates about recognizing Kosovo’s independence, some deputies are for it, others are against it.” But President Vučić said that such statements on our part would violate the norms of international law. This is manipulation. In 2010, the United Nations International Court of Justice recognized that Kosovo’s declaration of independence was in accordance with international law. In my opinion, the recognition of Kosovo’s independence is a necessary decision.”

Goncharenko says he does not know what President Zelensky’s current position is on Kosovo, but when asked whether the West is calling on Ukraine to join in recognizing Kosovo’s independence, the deputy replied that Ukraine is an independent state that makes its own decisions and conducts its internal affairs and foreign policy. /Geopost/