Serbia Will Not Join Anti-Russian Sanctions Despite EU Accession Talks - Envoy

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Serbia applied for EU membership in 2009, later becoming an official candidate. The Balkan country has so far opened only four of the 35 chapters needed for accession to the European Union.

"Our position is principled and consistent, Serbia is not preparing and is not ready to joint EU sanctions against Russia. Out government, as you know, is in talks with the European Union… On another hand, it has been stated many times by our [foreign] minister, prime minister and president that we want to continue friendly relations with Russia, as they have been throughout history. And I think the same applies to anti-Russian sanctions, our position won't change," Slavenko Terzic told the Russian Govorit Moskva radio station.

In 2014, Russia’s relations with the West deteriorated significantly as the crisis in Ukraine escalated, with Crimea rejoining Russia and pro-independence eastern Ukrainian militias rising up against Kiev's rule. The United States and its allies, accusing Moscow of fueling tensions in Ukraine, introduced a series of sanctions against Russia as a punitive measure.

Moscow refuted any involvement in the Ukrainian conflict and imposed a year-long food embargo on the countries that had sanctioned it, which was later prolonged as the sanctions were extended.