WASHINGTON, November 1 (RIA Novosti) — Russia is looking to increase its economic and military presence in the Balkans, while the United States gradually withdraws from it, US Senator Chris Murphy said.
"To put it bluntly, as the US pulls back involvement in the region [the Balkans], Russia is sitting on the doorstep ready to take our place," Murphy said on Friday during a speech at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).
Murphy, who is the Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on European Affairs, said he was concerned with Russia's increasing influence in the Balkans after witnessing it first hand on a recent visit to Kosovo, Serbia, Croatia, Albania and Montenegro.
"In Belgrade, you can literally feel the growing Russian influence in the city. Drive around and you will see billboard after billboard with the Russian and Serbian flags wrapped together in an embrace with a small, barely visible, Gazprom logo," Murphy said.
According to Murphy, on the day of his visit to Belgrade, Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic was getting ready for Russian President Vladimir Putin's arrival and prepared a performance, which included a Soviet-style military parade accompanied by MiG fighter jets flying overhead.
"No one seemed alarmed by this display of foreign military power," the Senator said.
Murphy claimed also that Russia hopes to build a South Stream gas pipeline through Serbia and wants to expand the military partnership between the two countries.
Meanwhile, Serbia feels it can straddle the line between Russia and the West, evidenced by its attempts at economic integration with Europe, while refusing to participate in US-EU sanctions against Russia, Murphy pointed out.
The EU has imposed several rounds of economic sanctions against Russia over its alleged involvement in the Ukrainian crisis, but Serbia refused to back these measures.
