BELGRADE, February 23. /TASS/. Ukraine is a friendly country for Serbia, however Belgrade has no intention to be hostile towards Russia, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told reporters in Belgrade on Wednesday.
When asked who of the Ukrainian politicians he had met over the past year and how many times, Vucic said, "I sat beside Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmygal. Ukraine is a friendly country for us. We have nothing against Ukraine in any way. On the contrary, we are in solidarity with the people of Ukraine."
"I had a lengthy conversation with Prime Minister Shmygal and I spoke with [Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry] Kuleba in New York, I spoke with the ambassador and visited Ukrainian refugees in Vranje," he said.
"However, Serbia, unlike everyone else, does not want to show a hostile attitude or action against the Russian Federation. We want peace, <…> and let that remain Serbia’s policy," Vucic said.
"As for external pressure on Serbia, we have to be prepared for compromises and to cherish peace, but we will not give our country to anyone," the Serbian president added.
After Russia launched its special military operation, Vucic said in an address to the nation that Serbia supported Ukraine’s territorial integrity, but would not impose sanctions on Russia. The president said that Serbia would suspend military and police exercises with all foreign partners. He pointed out that Serbia views Russia and Ukraine as fraternal nations and deplores the recent developments in eastern Europe, and is poised to provide humanitarian aid to Kiev.
Vucic reiterated earlier that Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine had been the cause of immense pressure put by the West on Serbia.