BELGRADE, April 7. /TASS/. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic believes that Western pressure on his country, aimed at forcing it to join anti-Russian sanctions, will only mount in the future, the Serbian leader said in an interview to the country’s national RTS television channel.
"It will get worse. Yes, there is outside pressure, and it will get worse, especially in June," he said in the interview, aired on Thursday evening. "They demanded that we imposed sanctions <…>, but I’m the one making decisions and I’m the one responsible."
"The world will never be unipolar again. It will either be bipolar - US and China - or multipolar, and the second variant would be a lot more beneficial for us," he said.
The Serbian leader noted China’s growing role in international affairs, adding that the issue of Taiwan "will soon be resolved."
Vucic stressed that his country’s relations with Russia have been traditionally good.
"I’m proud that Serbia is one of the few countries that pursues its own political course. Yes, we are on the European path. Yes, we enjoy traditionally good relations with China, Russia and other countries," he said. "Serbia is a free and independent country. Serbia makes decisions that it - not someone else - wants and it deems necessary," the president went on.
The Serbian president named a number of people in his inner circle, who favor anti-Russian sanctions. Commenting on recent statements made by Economic Minister Rade Basta, he said: "Minister Basta enjoys imposing sanctions not because he likes sanctions, but because he likes approval from some people."
On March 13, Serbian Minister of Economy Rade Basta said that Serbia needed to join the sanctions against Russia and called on all government members to speak out on the issue because, in his words, Belgrad "is paying a high price" for refusing to do so. Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, in turn, emphasized that the country had refused to join the sanctions keeping in mind its national interests and the international law.
After the start of Russia's special military operation, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said in an address to the nation that Belgrade supported the territorial integrity of Ukraine, but would not impose sanctions on Russia. He added that Serbia was temporarily suspending army and police exercises with all foreign partners. Serbia considers Russia and Ukraine fraternal states, regrets what is happening in eastern Europe and is ready to provide humanitarian assistance to Kiev, Vucic stressed.
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that Belgrade was under unprecedented pressure to join those with an anti-Russian position. "Attempts to draw Serbia to take side of those with an anti-Russian stance are being made constantly. We know that Belgrade is under enormous, never-before-seen pressure," the Kremlin official told journalists.