BELGRADE, April 18. /TASS/. Serbia’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic has called on the world community to promote the soonest settlement of the conflict in Ukraine by diplomatic means.

"On behalf of the Republic of Serbia I would like to appeal to all relevant international entities, first of all to the most influential countries calling on them to use their possibilities to stop, as soon as possible, the war in Ukraine, sufferings of civilians and the most vulnerable categories, especially children. Serbia is saying on the basis of its bitter experience that there is no alternative to political dialogue and calls for giving a chance to talks and diplomacy," he said in Strasbourg on the 20th anniversary of Serbia’s membership in the Council of Europe.

He said earlier that "practically the entire world has taken this or that side" in this conflict, which cannot help settle it.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said in February that the conflict in Ukraine was likely to only aggravate and expand in the next five to six months to finally run out of control. He anticipated that the decision to supply Ukraine with tanks would be followed by a decision to supply F-16 fighter jets.