Vucic discusses with Harchenko the difficult situation of Serbs in Kosovo and the threat to peace

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, met today in Loznica with the Ambassador of the Russian Federation, Aleksandr Botsan-Kharchenko, whom he briefed on the difficult situation of Serbs in Kosovo and the daily provocations they face.

"We discussed all important issues of bilateral significance and interest for both countries. I informed Ambassador Harchenko about the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, the daily brutal provocations faced by Serbs, the threat to peace and stability, and the ineffective response from all those involved in the dialogue who were supposed to guarantee its outcomes," Vucic emphasized in a statement following the meeting.

He emphasized that he informed the Russian ambassador about the difficult position of the Serbian people in Kosovo.

"It seems to me that on this issue, we have encountered understanding from the Russian side," Vucic added.

He conveyed that he also discussed all other important matters with the Russian ambassador.

"We talked about economic cooperation, where we expect the construction of the Dispatch Center by Russian Railways. We expect further talks on many projects in energy and infrastructure. Also, what is important for us is that we discussed cooperation in the United Nations and other multilateral bodies and organizations, since Russia has supported us on issues such as the imposed resolution on Srebrenica and other matters," Vucic said.

The President expressed confidence that, in the short term, there will be issues on which Serbia and Russia can agree, serving the interests of both sides.

"I mentioned that it is of great importance to us to accelerate the talks regarding the gas arrangement. We also discussed the celebration of October 20th, marking the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Belgrade, in which the Red Army played a dominant role, along with our units. We will commemorate this with several joint events. There will be many cultural events, including a performance by the Bolshoi Theater on September 13th, among other things," Vucic stated.

He informed journalists that he also spoke with Botsan-Kharchenko about the invitation extended to Serbia and to him personally to attend the major BRICS summit.

"I have looked at the participant list, which I must admit is not only extensive but includes some extremely strong, important, and powerful countries. I have already expressed my gratitude for the invitation to the Russian ambassador before this meeting, and again today. As I’ve told you, we will continue these talks, and I believe we will also discuss with President Putin the liberation of Belgrade and other matters," Vucic said.

Botsan-Kharchenko: Russia aware of the gravity of the situation in Kosovo, the main goal is to protect Serbs

Russian Ambassador to Serbia Aleksandr Botsan-Kharchenko emphasized that Moscow is fully aware of the severity of the situation in Kosovo, stating that the main goal is the protection of Serbs, their safety, and the possibility for them to lead normal lives.

"We are aware of the very difficult situation in Kosovo. Kosovo will be one of the most important and prioritized issues during the so-called ministerial session at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly. In October, a UN Security Council session on Kosovo is also expected, which will provide an opportunity for Russia to present its principled stance in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1244," Botsan-Kharchenko told journalists.

He stated that the primary task and goal is the protection of Serbs in Kosovo, their safety, and the ability to survive under such conditions.

In addition, the Russian ambassador pointed out the difficult situation due to the pressures on Banja Luka, specifically the Republic of Srpska, which, as he said, is an important part of Russia's foreign policy agenda.

Noting that there is always much discussion about the strategic partnership and relations between Serbia and Russia, he emphasized that the invitation from Russian President Vladimir Putin to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to the BRICS Summit in Kazan speaks volumes about the significance of Serbia for Russia and the importance of bilateral relations.

He stressed that Moscow highly values the principled and consistent stance of the Serbian president on not imposing sanctions on Russia.

"This allows us to move forward step by step in the current, quite difficult conditions, in terms of developing our relations," said Botsan-Kharchenko.

He added that he discussed economic cooperation with the Serbian president, and they are considering holding an Intergovernmental Commission meeting by the end of the year, which, he said, would be very important.