The President of Serbia did not succumb to US pressure

17.08.2016
Serbia

Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic has refused to support sanctions against Russia. He stated this during a meeting with US Vice President Joe Biden. Nikolic also refused to consider the issue of granting independence to the separatist province of Kosovo.

American lobby

Despite  US pressure, the Serbian president remained true to the basic principle of Serbian patriotic foreign policy and its friendship with Russia. At the same time, US influence in Serbia is strong enough, especially in the government. Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić even called Biden a "friend of Serbia", forgetting that Biden was an ardent supporter of the bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999.

Biden in Kosovo

After the visit to Serbia, Biden went to Kosovo to visit the separatists. In Pristina, he urged Kosovo's leadership to ratify the agreement on the establishment of the Association of Serbian municipalities. In Washington's view, this symbolic concession to Serbia, should encourage Vucic’s government to compromise on Kosovo. Also, Biden called on Kosovo to solve the problem of demarcation of the border with Montenegro, which completes the process of its accession to NATO.

Related links
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