Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic refused Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invitation to the BRICS summit in October.

Vucic said he would not be going to Kazan for the summit because of “a lot of important visits”. “Thanks to the people in BRICS for the invitation and President Putin. We also have New York and I know now that I will have talks with at least six presidents and at least 7-8 prime ministers on the margins of the UN General Assembly,” Vucic told reporters in western Serbia where he is staying for the next few days.

The invitation for Vucic to tae part in events at the BRICS summit was made by Putin during a meeting with Vucic’s close associate, Serbian deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok.

He said that the Serbian capital is also marking 80 years since its liberation in WW 2. “Don’t forget that the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Belgrade is on October 20 and that the Red Army liberated the city with the help of our troops and brought freedom to the country with everyone else who took part in the liberation,” The Serbian president said.