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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Serbia, Russian Federation strategic partners

Belgrade/Sochi, 21 August 2018

First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said today at a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that relations between the two countries are at a very high level and that they are relations of strategic partners.

Ivica Dacic and Sergei Lavrov

Dacic, who is on a one-day visit to the Russian Federation, said at a press conference after the meeting that a significant jubilee is celebrated this year, the 180th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

He expressed his gratitude to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the unreserved support they give to our country when it comes to Serbia's interests.

The First Deputy Prime Minister stressed that Serbia, without the support of Russia, could not defend its national interests and territorial integrity, adding that Serbia would also support Russia on its side.

Serbia has not joined, nor will join, sanctions against Russia and the Russian people, Dacic repeated.

Russian support is important for us, and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and I will regularly inform the Russian leadership about the course of dialogue with Pristina, he said.

Dacic stressed that Lavrov during the meeting said that the Albanian side did not fulfill any of the agreements, and reiterated that our party wants to make a compromise, to reach an agreement, but that it is obvious that there are double standards, especially in the West, where Pristina is let off the hook when it comes to its obligations.

In the continuation of the dialogue, we will be in close contact with the Russian Federation as we consider that without the help of Russia, there can be no solution, said the First Deputy Prime Minister.

He said that there has been a change in some countries in the West, which today still allow for a compromise solution to be discussed, and earlier they said that this issue had been resolved.

Dacic stressed that Serbia is preparing for the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin, which is of utmost importance to us, and before that, a session of the Joint Committee on Cooperation will be held.

At any moment, we can contact, inform, ask, and this is proof and reflection of a great friendship that exists, concluded the First Deputy Prime Minister.

Lavrov noted that Kosovo Albanians have not fulfilled agreements with Serbia over the years with the mediation of the European Union, and said that the EU must influence Kosovo.

We see the constructive attitude of Belgrade in the talks with Pristina under the auspices of the European Union. However, the same thing cannot be said about the attitudes of the Kosovo Albanians, because they did not fulfill the agreements that have been reached for many years, said the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has sent a call to Russia's President Vladimir Putin to visit Serbia, he stressed, adding that preparations for this meeting are under way.