Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has expressed he anticipates renewed Western pressure to impose sanctions against Russia in light of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Vučić made these remarks on September 19 during his participation in the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

He noted that he expects European officials to engage in discussions regarding Serbia’s lack of sanctions against Russia. Vučić emphasized his role as Serbia’s president and his commitment to the current policy.

He stated, “I will listen carefully and inform them that I lead Serbia as its president, and to the extent possible, we will continue with this policy”.

While Vučić also mentioned that he would reconsider this policy if circumstances change, he emphasized that Serbia has acted responsibly and consistently for over a year and seven months.

It’s worth noting that Serbia is the only country in the Balkan region that has not imposed sanctions on Russia.

The EU’s chief diplomat, Josep Borrell, had previously indicated that Serbia’s stance is not aligned with the European Union’s decision to extend sanctions against Russia for another year.

This reference pertained to the sanctions imposed by the EU on Russia since 2014 following Moscow’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula.

The conflict in Ukraine began on February 24, 2022, with Russian President Vladimir Putin characterizing it as a “special military operation” aimed at demilitarizing Ukraine.

In response, the West has imposed severe economic sanctions on Russia, resulting in casualties and mass displacement in the war-torn region.