Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić declared that Serbia will not give up on its European path, but he said he will go to Moscow on May 9.
He said that he had given his word to Putin that he would visit Moscow on May 9, and that Serbia is on the European path and will not back down from it. Two statements that seem to contradict each other.
"I am ready to accept any kind of sanctions. I told Putin that I will go to Russia on May 9, I am bound by my word. No one else should go and suffer, I will go, unless I don't know what is happening or I don't know what threat is being directed at Serbia," Vučić said.
"Serbia will remain on the European path even after this, we cannot change this, because this was also a promise made before the elections," he added.
European Union (EU) Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos warned on Wednesday that Serbia will find it difficult to stay on track towards EU membership if its president, Aleksandar Vučić, visits Moscow next week.
Kos said that, however, it is up to Vučić to decide whether or not he wants to go to Russia.
Vucic has said he will attend the Victory Day parade on May 9 and meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow for the first time since the Kremlin's full-scale occupation of Ukraine began.
She reiterated that Serbia, as a candidate for EU membership, must have its policies fully in line with Brussels' foreign and security policy by the time of accession.