"How did I betray Russia when again only I did not sign declaration?" Vucic speaks after summit in Odessa

Photo: Oleksandr GIMANOV / AFP / Profimedia

President Aleksandar Vucic said on Wednesday in Odessa, where the Ukraine-Southeast Europe summit was held, that he did not betray Russia, as claimed by some media in Serbia, pointed out that he did not sign the summit's declaration once again, and that Serbia abstained instead.

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When asked to comment on the weekly Vreme reporting about his visit to Ukraine as being unannounced and whether it was a new balancing act or about diplomatic talks, as well as that outlets N1 and Nova S started talking about the betrayal of the Russian Federation, Vucic said:

"What and who did I betray? Russia? In what way? By coming to the summit, this is my fourth Southeast Europe and Ukraine summit, and again I am the only one who did not accept the declaration. Unlike them, who would accept anything against Russia, anything they can. But it tells you about how totally lost they are. Not even knowing what they want anymore."

Vucic added that until yesterday, those same media criticized him for being a Russian agent, but now he is someone else's.

"Even when I am protecting our interests, and by protecting ours, it is always partly Russian, as well as Ukrainian interests. Because we are protecting the interests of international public law. And always guided by our own interests. When you have no arguments, then you have nothing left but to hope lies will get you somewhere. In the end the result is always the same. Truth will out. I am proud of Serbia's policies, of our independence, and we will continue along that path," stated Vucic.

Photo: Oleksandr GIMANOV / AFP / Profimedia

The president noted that he knows that there are many people in Serbia who react emotionally against Ukraine, and asked what Ukraine has done wrong or what it has done against Serbia.

"Because Ukraine did not invite representatives of Pristina here. Do we have an obligation to say thank you for that? I think we do. And what about that should I criticizet? Well, they allowed me to be here and to abstain and not to sign and not have Serbia as a signatory of the declaration. What else are you asking for? Both from Ukraine and from us. What does anyone really want from Serbian policies? I think that this is as much as a small country can do while implementing its independent policy. I am proud of that," said Vucic.

He added that the day he is no longer president, which will be in a year and a half or two at most, it will be very difficult to maintain such a policy.

"I managed to do this thanks to thousands of personal connections, relationships that I built over a long, long, long time with many people and managed to bring that kind of personal stamp as a contribution to the independent and free policies of Serbia. I am very proud of that," said Vucic.

(Telegraf.rs/Tanjug)