The Embassies of Ukraine and United States in Belgrade separately criticized the participation of the Director of the Security Information Agency of Serbia (BIA), Aleksandar Vulin in the International Security Conference in Moscow.

In a written response to Radio Free Europe, the Embassy of Ukraine says that both Serbia and Ukraine aim to become members of the European Union, and as such, Serbia must impose sanctions against Russia.

“An EU candidate country should join the European bloc’s foreign policy in sanctioning the aggressor, the Russian Federation,” responded the Embassy.

The U.S. Ambassador to Serbia, Christopher Hill also stated that “no one should legitimize Russia’s actions.”

“The Russian aggression against its peaceful neighbor Ukraine is illegal and unreasonable. Vladimir Putin started this brutal war. He can and he must end it immediately, and stop the deaths and destruction his war is causing,” said Hill in a written declaration for Radio Free Europe.

Meanwhile, there is still no official response from the Government of Serbia, regarding the matter, even though Radio Free Europe addressed them for comment.

Russian state media reported that the Director of BIA, Aleksandar Vulin participated in the International Security Conference in Moscow. Official information over his participation in the Conference is not published in any of the websites of official institutions in Serbia.

Photos published by Russia Today Balkan in Serbian language, show Vulin alongside other participants of the Conference, including the President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, an open supporter of Russia and President Vladimir Putin. Vulin is one of the few European officials who has continued visiting Russian officials in Kremlin, after Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Some media in Serbia reported that even the Serbian Foreign Minister was part of the Conference in Moscow. However, Ivica Dačić denied the report, saying he had not been invited to be a part of that conference, therefore he did not travel to Russia.

In his opening remarks in the Conference, President Vladimir Putin is reported to have warned of further strengthening ties with friendly countries. Serbia, despite its efforts to become a member of the European Union, refuses to harmonize its foreign policy with the European bloc, and impose sanctions on Russia.