Putin thanks Vucic for coming to Moscow “despite efforts to dissuade him from attending”

Vucic thanked Putin for the enormous support for Serbia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, saying that while the two countries already cooperate well in various areas, that cooperation should be expanded and further strengthened across all sectors.

“As you know, gas supply is an issue of vital importance for us. Our long-term contract includes very favorable terms, and we are grateful to you for that. We hope we can maintain those terms, or possibly even improve them, if I may say so,” Vucic said during the meeting with the Russian president at the Kremlin.

Putin noted that trade figures between Russia and Serbia are currently below optimal levels, and while there has been a decline, he stressed the need to reverse that trend and improve economic exchange.

He emphasized the importance of energy cooperation.

“The key element in our trade and economic cooperation is energy, and Russia remains a guarantor of Serbia’s energy security, supplying about 85 percent of its energy needs. Natural gas is delivered via the TurkStream pipeline. In addition, Gazprom is not only a reliable supplier, but also responds to requests from our Serbian friends by providing additional volumes beyond what is stipulated in the contracts. This provides a stable foundation for Serbia’s economic activity,” the Russian president said.

Putin said Russia highly appreciates the fact that, despite logistical problems and attempts to dissuade Vucic from coming to Moscow, the Serbian president attended the parade that marked the 80th anniversary of the WWII victory over fascism.

Vucic added that Putin has made an exceptional contribution to the development of bilateral relations between the two countries.