Vučević met with the Russian minister, Ursula von der Leyen cancels the meeting with him

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen canceled a meeting and talks with Serbian Prime Minister Miloš Vucevic on Friday because he had previously met a Russian minister, EU Ambassador to Belgrade Emanuele Giaufret said.

“We canceled the meeting … after the Prime Minister’s meeting with the Minister of Economy of the Russian Federation,” the EU ambassador told AFP.

Vucevic had previously met with Maxim Reshetnikov, the Russian Minister for Economic Development.

Giaufret said that according to a statement published on the Serbian government’s official website, which was later removed, there was an “indication of Serbia’s intention to strengthen economic relations with the Russian Federation in other areas”.

“From this point of view, the President of the Commission considered that there was no reason to hold the meeting with the Prime Minister,” he added.

The statement, a copy of which was obtained by AFP, says that Vucevic spoke with Reshetnikov and a Russian delegation about “further strengthening economic and general cooperation between the two countries”.

Von der Leyen traveled to Belgrade on Friday as part of a trip through six Balkan countries and met with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

Serbia, which is seeking to join the European Union, maintains friendly relations with Russia and refuses to sanction Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.

Vučić also sent Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin to attend the BRICS summit at the time the EU leader was in the Balkans. Vucic had planned to travel alone, but cited some “schedules on the agenda” as the reason./The Geopost/