"The United States of America (USA) appreciates Serbia's partnership in the fight against Russian aggression in Europe and the fact that it provides humanitarian aid to the Ukrainian people," stated the State Department's response to Voice of America's (VOA) request for a comment on the announced meeting of the Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia Aleksandar Vulin and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Kremlin previously confirmed that Vulin and Putin will meet on the sidelines of the economic forum in Vladivostok on September 4, and criticism of the announced meeting came from the EU.
The State Department's response to VOA stated that "the position on Alexander Vulin is well known" and that he remains under US sanctions.
"Our focus remains on working with the leaders in Serbia to strengthen the strategic partnership between our countries, while Serbia continues to build a safe and secure future in Europe resistant to political and economic blackmail from Russia," said the State Department.
Previously, the European Union (EU) announced to media in Serbia that "maintaining ties with Russia at the time of its war of aggression against Ukraine is not compatible with EU values and the accession process."
"The European Union has been crystal clear with our partners: relations with Russia cannot be normal after Russia's unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine," he said in a reply to Radio Free Europe (RSE) on September 3.
They also say from Brussels that the EU "wants to count on all candidate countries as reliable European partners for common principles, values, security and prosperity".
While Brussels criticizes, the meeting between Vulin and Putin for Belgrade 'nothing epoch-making'
As announced by Putin's cabinet, the Russian president will attend the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, and he will meet with Vulin on September 4. In addition to Vulin, Putin will also meet with the Prime Minister of Malaysia and the Vice President of China on the same day.
The forum is being held from September 3 to 6 on the campus of the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok.
The announced meeting was also commented on by the Prime Minister of Serbia, Miloš Vučević, who said that Vulin's visit to Russia does not represent "anything epochal and so terrible".
"We have not severed diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation, it is not forbidden for anyone to meet with representatives of the Russian Federation," he said when asked by Radio Free Europe during his visit to Novi Pazar.
Vucevic emphasized that Serbia does not encourage war in Ukraine and does not support the violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity.
"We voted for all the resolutions that confirm Ukraine's integrity, but we do not renounce our friendship with the Russian Federation, we did not introduce sanctions, we did not expel the ambassador. On the contrary, we have normal communication," he pointed out.
He also reminded that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, as the Prime Minister of a member state of the European Union and NATO, was recently in Moscow and met with Putin.
"If Orban is allowed, of course Vulin can also meet. I don't see what is different, or a different approach," said the Prime Minister of Serbia.
The last time Alexander Vulin was in Moscow was three weeks ago, when he spoke in the Russian capital with Yuri Ushakov, adviser to the President of the Russian Federation on foreign affairs.
Earlier in June, Vulin met in Moscow with the Minister of Internal Affairs of Russia Vladimir Kolokoltsev, the Secretary of the Russian Security Council Sergei Shoigu and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Alexander Grushka.
It was Vulin's first official visit to Russia since he was elected to the position of Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia.
Aleksandar Vulin, a coalition partner of the ruling SNS and the current Deputy Prime Minister, was the director of the BIA from December 2022 to November 2023, and he was the Minister of the Interior from 2020 to 2022.
Known for his close ties with Russia, Vulin has been on the United States Treasury Department's sanctions list since July 11 last year for "corrupt and destabilizing acts", for the sake of advancing his own political agendas and personal interests, to the detriment of peace and stability in the Western Balkans. , Voice of America reports.
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