The European Union (EU) anticipates that Serbia will align with the EU acquis, particularly regarding its stance on Russia. A spokesperson from the European Commission (EC) responded to Voice of America’s Serbian service about a recent phone call between Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“As a candidate for EU membership, Serbia is expected to align with the EU acquis, which includes adherence to the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and implementing restrictive measures against Russia. The EU views Serbia as a trustworthy European partner that shares the same principles and values,” the EC spokesperson stated in a written response to Voice of America.

During their phone conversation, Putin denounced “foreign interference” in Serbia amidst ongoing anti-corruption protests, as reported by Voice of America.

Without further details, Vučić mentioned on Instagram that he discussed renewing the gas agreement set to expire on May 31st, as well as the US Treasury Department’s sanctions against the Oil Industry of Serbia (NIS), which is predominantly owned by Russia’s Gazpromneft.

For the past four months, student-led protests have intensified following the tragic collapse of a canopy at a renovated train station in Novi Sad that resulted in the deaths of 15 individuals.

According to a statement from the Kremlin following the call, “Vladimir Putin emphasized that external interference in Serbia’s internal political matters is intolerable,” as cited by Agence France-Presse.

Vučić stated on his Instagram that he discussed what he referred to as the “colored revolution,” alluding to popular uprisings seen in former Soviet states.

“I expressed my gratitude to him for the lack of Russian support for the color revolution. President Putin conveyed a very clear stance on this matter; Russia comprehends the situation well and will continue to back the legitimate authorities in Serbia,” Vučić mentioned.

Serbian students have called for a general strike and further protests this Friday.

According to Reuters, Serbia is balancing its historical connections with Russia and its aspirations to join the European Union.

Belgrade has repeatedly condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but has yet to impose Western sanctions on Moscow.

The majority of Serbia’s gas imports continue to flow from Russia via the TurkStream pipeline, although the country is taking measures to diversify its energy sources by importing gas from Azerbaijan and other regions.

On January 10, the United States imposed sanctions targeting the Russian oil sector, giving Gazpromneft 45 days to divest from NIS, which operates Serbia’s sole oil refinery.

The US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control extended that deadline by an additional month at the end of February.

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