VLADIVOSTOK, September 4 /TASS/. Serbia is not only a strategic partner but also an ally of Russia, which explains the enormous pressure on Belgrade from the West, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin has said.

"As you know, Serbia is not only a strategic partner. Serbia is also an ally of Russia. This explains why the pressure on us from the West is enormous," Vulin said at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).

After the start of Russia’s special military operation, Vucic said in an address to the nation following a meeting of the Serbian Security Council that his country supported the territorial integrity of Ukraine but would not impose sanctions on Russia. He said the country was temporarily halting military and police exercises with all foreign partners. Vucic said Serbia considered Russia and Ukraine as brotherly states and regretted what was happening in eastern Europe.

Later, the Serbian leader said that the West was not interested in an independent and autonomous Serbia and would continue to exert increasing pressure on Belgrade in order to make it join anti-Russian sanctions and recognize Kosovo's independence.