Serbia is facing mounting diplomatic pressure from the West over its pro-Russian stance, shortly after the country wrapped up important elections reinstating in power President Aleksandar Vucic and his Serbian Progressive Party.
Diplomats from various European capitals are now pressuring Serbia to pick a side, after getting a clear by the one of the most influential EU member states, Germany.
German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock said that Serbia’s NATO accession is a matter that concerns EU foreign policies, as well as relevant sanctions.
“If you want to become an EU member, and that is what Serbia wants, it is essential that at this time you endorse EU’s foreign policy and its respective sanctions”, Baerbock said.
The statement of Germany’s diplomacy chief is the first message to Belgrade that it needs to take action when it comes to the war in Ukraine.
But it seems that its “Yes” vote at the UN to condemn the Russian aggression, expelling Moscow from the Human Rights Council, did not contribute to toning down the pressure that Serbia is getting from the bloc.
According to the center for foreign policies, Suzana Grubjesic said that if Serbia sanctions Russia, it will a give a signal that it is aligning with Germany. But in case they choose the opposite, it means that they are against them.
Serbian President Vucic asserted from the beginning of the war that they have been exposed to mounting pressure and threatened with sanctions, pulling out investors and full stop to the country’s EU integration process.
Many analysts believe that Serbia will not be able to hold its stance for long, and that at some point it will subdue and sanction Moscow.
According to foreign policy expert, Nemanja Sitplija, Germany and France expect from Serbia to alter its foreign policy stance.
“I believe that the EU, and the main member states, such as Germany and France, expect Serbia to change its foreign policy. But the fact is that it doesn’t really have to do that, let’s be realistic, this is the will of Serbia, but I believe that the pressure will become more serious”, Sitplija said.
