OUR Serbia is under unprecedented pressure to introduce sanctions V Russiaas the representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry said after the statement of the Serbian minister that the country should also participate in Western sanctions against Moscow.

Serbia has repeatedly condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine V United Nations and other international forums, but is resisting pressure from the West to impose sanctions.

“A strange position: America is putting pressure on Serbia, and the Serbian minister is calling for action against Russia,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote on the Telegram messenger late in the evening.

Russia, a traditionally Slavic and Orthodox ally, backed Belgrade in its opposition to the independence of Kosovo in 2008, the former Serbian, predominantly Albanian southern province, and pro-Russian sentiment in Serbia is high.

Rade Basta, Serbia’s economy minister for the ruling Socialist Party-United Serbia coalition, said yesterday that Belgrade was paying a “heavy price” for refusing to join the international embargo against Russia.

“Our country is already paying a high price for not imposing sanctions on Russia, and this is becoming unbearable,” Basta wrote on his Instagram account.

Serbia wants to join the EU, its main investor and trading partner, but must first mend relations with Kosovo in EU-sponsored talks. and agree with the policies of the West, including the imposition of sanctions against Russia.

Serbia is completely dependent on gas imports from Russia, although it has begun to expand energy supplies.

Belgrade also maintained military cooperation with Russia, which was suspended after Russian troops invaded Ukraine a year ago.

^{Source: APE-MEB, Reuters}