Hill: There is only one path for Serbia, and that is the West and the EU

Photo: Tanjug/Dragan Kujundzic

US Ambassador to Serbia Christopher Hill assessed on Sunday that there is no third path for Serbia and that the choice is reduced between the East and the West.

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"Unlike in the past, when in Serbia it was thought that there was a third way, that Serbia is neither in the East nor in the West, that it is special and walks its own path, now the majority in Serbia thinks there is a right way and a wrong way and wants to choose that right path. I think that there is only one way for Serbia, and that is the West, that is the European Union," Hill said an interview for Politika.

The US ambassador assessed that citizens of Serbia have decided that their future is in the West, and not in some undefined East.

"I say this based on what I hear every day from people, but also based on President Vucic's statements," said Hill.

He expressed disappointment because "the problem of Kosovo still exists" and said that Serbia and so-called Kosovo are "neighboring countries" that have to solve many problems, assessing that "the right way (to solve those problems) is the dialogue that is taking place through the EU and negotiations in Brussels."

"All the elements must be on the negotiating table and one cannot say, I want to talk about this, but not about that. I am discouraged when I see that one side wants one thing, but doesn't want what the other side wants to be on the negotiating table," Hill pointed out.

Speaking about imposing sanctions against Russia, the US ambassador said that Serbia should decide whether relations with Russia have brought it good and whether they served Serbian interests well.

"When Putin mentioned Kosovo as an inspiration for the plans in Ukraine, it sounded strange to most people. I'm not sure that Russia cares about Serbia, not even before, and especially now," Hill assessed and stressed that "it is not in Serbia's interest to be so energy dependent on Russia."

"We do not want (energy) shortages. We want to help Serbia have access to natural gas and gas pipelines," Hill said and expressed the view that Russia is not a reliable supplier.

The US ambassador recalled that the United States is an exporter of gas and that they are "trying to get Serbia to connect to American gas pipelines."

"We export that gas, build pipelines and try to connect Serbia to gas pipelines in seaports. There is also nuclear energy, which I think should be backed," said Hill.

(Telegraf.rs)