MOSCOW, December 26. /TASS/. The Russian president’s upcoming visit to Serbia will strengthen the relationship between the two countries, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in New Year’s greetings to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Wednesday.

"I am convinced that our scheduled meeting in Belgrade will further cement our mutually beneficial cooperation in a wide range of fields," Vucic’s press service said citing the Russian president’s greetings.

"I wish happiness, good health and success to you, your family and friends, and well-being and prosperity to the Serbian fraternal nation," says a message handed to the Serbian president by Russia’s Ambassador in Belgrade Alexander Chepurin.

Putin pointed out that the current relations with Serbia "are dynamically developing in the spirit of a strategic partnership."

Earlier, Vucic said that Putin would visit Belgrade on January 17. The leaders held their previous talks in Moscow on October 2, 2018. On Tuesday, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Putin’s visit to Serbia had been in the works, but declined to announce the timeframe.

The Serbian media reported that 20 agreements were expected to be signed during the Russian president’s visit. Joint energy, infrastructure and innovative projects will be the focus of the visit.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov earlier said that an agreement on setting up a nuclear center in Serbia might be sealed during the visit.