BRUSSELS, September 30. /TASS/. Russia has the initiative in the Ukrainian conflict, while the West is finding it increasingly difficult to finance Kiev, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told Politico.

"The Russians have the initiative on the battlefield [in Ukraine]. At the beginning, the West thought that it would be an easy job for them to invest into Ukrainian defense and to finance them [the Kiev authorities] because of Russia’s relatively weak economy. Now, it’s becoming much more difficult," Vucic said.

According to the Serbian president, European leaders do not want to hear his analysis of the situation in Ukraine because they consider themselves "the smartest people in the world." Therefore, they "don’t want to hear anyone who thinks differently," Vucic emphasized.

The Serbian leader also pointed out that "only stupid men can say" that he is "a Russian puppet or a Russian agent." Vucic said that he has met with Russian President Vladimir Putin about 20 times and knows him "quite well," better than any other European leader. However, the Serbian head of state added that he has not communicated with the Russian president in two and a half years, unlike some European leaders who have regular contacts with Putin.

On September 27, Vucic said that the Ukrainian conflict would eventually end with a cessation of hostilities according to the Korean scenario, on the line of engagement, a situation that could last for decades.

The Russian authorities, for their part, have repeatedly stated that pumping weapons into Ukraine will not weaken Russia's resolve and will not change the course of the special military operation.