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Serbian president says his country’s political relations with Russia are exclusive

“Our political relations [with Russia] are exclusive and I must say that they are exclusive among other things because Russia has understanding of Serbia,” Nikolic stressed

Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic FoNet/Nenad Djordjevic

Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic

© FoNet/Nenad Djordjevic

BELGRADE, March 8. /TASS/. Serbia and Russia have exclusive political relations, Serbian President Tomoslav Nikolic said in an interview with TASS ahead of his visit to Russia starting on March 9.

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Serbian president to meet with Putin, Patriarch Kirill in Moscow next month — ambassador

“Our political relations [with Russia] are exclusive and I must say that they are exclusive among other things because Russia has understanding of Serbia,” he stressed.

“Otherwise it would be very easy to say: well, you want to be part of the European Union, then our position towards you will be the same we have in respect of other member countries of the European Union. No, Russia has always been one step ahead in its support to Serbia than one could expect it to be,” Nikolic said.

“And again, looking back at history, looking at what people think, it is what is expected from Russia,” the Serbian leader said. “I think that should I ask President [of Russia Vladimir] Putin directly, not through diplomatic channels, to help Serbia, the Serbian people, Serbia’s interests, I can always rely on Russia’s willingness to make such a step. Because our grandfathers acted this way, we are acting this way now and our children will be acting this way in future,” he stressed.

Read an Extended Interview with Tomislav Nikolic

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