British News Agency

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who attended the ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the Chinese people’s victory in the War of Resistance against Japan and the end of World War II.

Putin emphasized that the strategic partnership between Russia and Serbia brings mutual benefits and positive results for both Russia and Serbia: “Unfortunately, last year there was a decline in trade. But this year we see positive dynamics, and our task is to consolidate them.”

He underlined readiness to continue joint work in trade and economic fields, adding: “We see and respect the independent foreign policy pursued by Serbia under your leadership. I am glad that today we have the opportunity to discuss both bilateral and regional issues.”

For his part, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic stressed the importance of high-level cooperation with Russia in all areas: “I hope that we will have the opportunity not only to maintain but also to strengthen and expand our cooperation. For our country, the energy sector and gas supply are of vital importance. Thanks to the construction of the oil pipeline to Hungary, we will take steps forward in the development of the energy sector.”

Vucic thanked Russian companies, including Russian Railways and Rosatom, for their interest in infrastructure projects in Serbia, saying: “Mr. President, I would like to once again stress that since the beginning of the Ukraine crisis, Serbia has been in a very difficult situation and under great pressure. However, despite this, we have managed to preserve our principled position and defend Serbia’s independence. Today we are the only country in Europe that has not imposed sanctions on the Russian Federation. And of course, we will continue to maintain our military neutrality in the future.”