MOSCOW, August 14. /TASS/. Moscow and Belgrade will keep working to the benefit of security in the Balkans and for preventing external interference, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement following a meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin.

"They discussed topical aspects of the situation in the Balkans," the Foreign Ministry said. "The need to continue joint work in the interests of strengthening security and stability and resist attempts at destructive external interference in regional affairs was emphasized."

Lavrov pointed to the need for countering Kiev's war on the Russian language, the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, education, culture and mass media.

The Russian foreign minister and the Serbian deputy prime minister reaffirmed the focus on maintaining the political dialogue and the importance of implementing mutually beneficial projects.

"A wide range of issues of bilateral cooperation and further steps in the development of strategic partnership between Russia and Serbia were considered," the Foreign Ministry said.