According to Olaf Scholz, the German Chancellor said that Serbia should follow the EU’s lead and recognise the independent Kosovo province as a state. This is if Serbia wants to be a member of the EU. At a press conference in Belgrade after his meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Scholz also said that the anti-Russian sanctions won’t end once the fighting in Ukraine stops.
“It is important that many countries join the sanctions, because in addition to deliveries of weapons that is something that helps Ukraine defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Scholz said. “We expect all candidates for EU membership to join the sanctions as well.”
So far, six have been adopted in Brussels “packages”An array of anti-Russian measures, the latest including an oil import ban. These EU sanctions can be found here “not something that will end when the hostilities are over,”Scholz stated in Belgrade
However, the German chancellor clarified that Russia has to accept it “cannot dictate the terms of peace” to Ukraine and guarantee Kiev’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, before the EU would consider lifting the embargo.
Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on Thursday that sanctions had backfired against the West. He cited examples of inflation, shortages and other problems that US and EU governments now want to put on Moscow. Janet Yellen (US Treasury Secretary) admitted that the sanctions made a significant impact on Friday. “huge difference to food and energy prices,”Despite record-setting inflation
Vucic praised Serbia’s economic cooperation with Germany but reiterated that sanctioning Russia would be a difficult proposition for Belgrade. Vucic told Serbian TV earlier in the week that oil embargo by EU has already led to higher prices of $600m.
Vucic spoke out at the World Economic Forum Meeting in Davos last week. “no possibility”The meeting discussed the anti-Russian sanctions currently in place and expressed pride at Serbia’s ability to keep its own independent policy, despite continuing pressure.
However, on Friday, he stated that he “understood perfectly” Scholz’s demands, adding that “the chancellor will be notified of all our decisions going forward.”
Skholz didn’t just demand sanctions Russia, but he also demanded that Belgrade be given the opportunity to sanction Russia. His Balkans tour began in Pristina where the German chancellor met with the head of NATO-backed Kosovo.
“It is unimaginable for two countries that don’t recognize each other to become EU members,” Scholz said in a press conference with Kosovo prime minister Albin Kurti, which was widely interpreted to mean that Serbia must recognize the breakaway province before hoping to join the bloc.
“We first heard of this at the press conference in Pristina,”Vucic stated later Friday that the EU had requested it. “normalization”Not recognition, but relations. According to him, he was a witness that Scholz had informed about Serbia’s integrity. “as much as you value the integrity of Ukraine.”
Germany is strong, and we are tiny. It’s up to us to figure out how to deal with that.
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