Lavrov: West has decided to use Balkans as bridgehead against Russia
The West is trying to implement the next step in the anti-Russian script by pressurizing the countries of the Balkan peninsula and demanding that the countries in the region “make a choice: [you are] either with Moscow or with Washington and Brussels”, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in an interview with the Siberian Telegraph, the full text of which was published on the Foreign Ministry website.
“The impression is developing that the lessons of the Ukrainian tragedy in the West have not been learned. Today they are making persistent attempts to turn the Balkans into yet another bridgehead against Russia. The countries in the region are being insistently required to make a choice: [you are] either with Moscow, or with Washington and Brussels,” Lavrov claims.
The minister said that Belgrade is being pressurized in order to “bring an end to the mutually beneficial collaboration” with Russia, but that the “Serbian brothers are firmly opposing it”.
He emphasized that one of the areas in which Russia and Serbia collaborate is the energy sphere: “Leading Russian companies, including PAO Gazprom, are in close contact with our Serbian partners, and have great collaborative plans”.
Talking about the situation with Kosovo, Lavrov said that Russia will consider any resolution which is acceptable to Serbia. “Our position on Kosovo is well known, it is based on international law – first and foremost, UN Security Council resolution 1244. We will consistently provide our Serbian brothers comprehensive assistance in the efforts aimed at asserting Serbia’s legitimate interests – both along the bilateral line and in international organizations,” the Foreign Minister said.
Following prolonged conflict in the Balkan region, the Kosovo parliament unilaterally declared independence from Serbia. The international and legal status of Kosovo remains a controversial matter. The self-declared republic is recognized by the majority of UN member states.