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Photo: Aleksandr Vulin (flickr by MINISTRY OF DEFENSE – DAMIR BANDA)
The European Union demanded that Serbia abandon the Slavic Brotherhood 2020 military exercises along with Russia and Belarus. Minsk planned to hold them on the Polish border near Brest.
This was stated by Serbian Defense Minister Aleksandr Vulin, reports espreso.rs.
According to him, the EU demanded to abandon the exercises, threatening to block further European integration of Belgrade and increase pressure on the problems of Kosovo, Metohija and the Republika Srpska (a formation within Bosnia and Herzegovina).
“Serbia is facing terrible and undeserved pressure from the EU. Pressure that makes no sense and is not based on our decisions and actions is the result of the hysteria that determines the political decisions and directions of the big powerful countries,” Vulin said.
He added that Serbia is a neutral country and to maintain this status, the government decided to stop participating in international exercises for six months.
“Neither East nor West. Our participation in peacekeeping operations will be especially considered and, if necessary, suspended,” Vulin said.
We will recall, it was previously reported that Russia, Belarus and Serbia will conduct exercises near the border with Poland. The exercises of the multinational tactical group will be held at the Brestsky training ground.
Note that last week Serbia and Kosovo agreed to normalize relations in the economy. The agreement was signed in Washington through the mediation of the US presidential administration. Furthermore, Belgrade declares its foreign policy objective of joining the European Union. The latest decisions demonstrate Serbia’s rapprochement with Western partners.
