Serbia will never become NATO's 'foot soldier' in war with Russia, asserts Minister Vulin

Western nations should apologise to Serbia instead of coercing it to become NATO's “foot soldier” in their conflict with Russia, the country’s Interior Minister Aleksandar Vulin said on Saturday. Speaking to Pink, he asserted that Belgrade would not let itself be dragged into what he said was “other people’s war.” Notably, his remarks came in response to previous comments made by the country’s deputy prime minister Zorana Mihajlovic who said that the future cabinet would be “more clear” in its stance on the war.

Notably, Serbia - a European, Balkan state, has refused to slap sanctions on the Russian Federation, drawing sharp criticisms from the West. President Aleksander Vucic has repeatedly asserted that his administration was “neutral” in the ongoing war. However, on Saturday, the interior minister said that Serbia’s stance was “very clear". Vulin underscored that while the country respects Ukraine's territorial integrity, it would not join the sanctions regime against Russia due to its longstanding close and friendly relationship with Moscow.

"Do we want to be part of the West’s conflict with Russia? Do we want to forget all these decades in which Russia supported us? Do we want to forget all these centuries of Slavic brotherhood?” Vulin asked rhetorically as he defended his government’s position on the issue. In April, the Serbian President emphasised that Belgrade will never be a part of the anti-Russian hysteria in which the properties of Russian citizens and the Russian Federation are seized. 

"If you want to stick to territorial integrity and sovereignty as the most important principle of international politics… start with Serbia," he said, slamming the west for not snubbing Serbia's sovereignty.

What is happening in Ukraine?

It has been more than four months since Russia began its attempt to invade Ukraine. Earlier this week, Putin's forces shelled the eastern city of Lysychansk. The Siverskyi Donets River river separates Lysychansk from Sievierodonetsk-- a city that, last week, fell to the Russians. Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to the Ukrainian president, on Saturday, said Russian forces had managed for the first time to cross the river from the north, creating a “threatening” situation. He added that the fate of the city would be decided as early as Monday.

(Image: AP)