Maria Zakharova emphasized that Serbia had repeatedly assured Russia that its military products would not be sent to Ukraine
MOSCOW, November 7. /TASS/. Moscow expects Serbia to keep its promise not to arm Ukraine, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters.
Commenting on Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic’s statements in an interview with a German magazine about his readiness to sell ammunition to the EU so that buyers can do “whatever they want” with it, she said: “We assume that Belgrade will strictly adhere to their previous promises.” These promises were not made to a specific person or a specific country. They were made by the president of an independent, sovereign state who was elected by the people. They were not made to anyone in particular. They were declared as the position of a legally elected president, expressing the will of his people,” the diplomat pointed out.
The spokeswoman pointed out inconsistencies in the Serbian president’s statements in the public sphere. “You know, when I read all these interviews with the Serbian president, I wonder — is there really only one President Vucic? It seems like different people are giving the interviews. We hear one set of statements when he is in Moscow and another when he is elsewhere. I am only talking about the public sphere. Maybe the media has distorted something, but the relevant press service should provide explanations,” she added.
The diplomat emphasized that Serbia has repeatedly assured Russia that its military products will not be sent to Ukraine. “In truth, we have repeatedly received assurances from the Serbian leadership, including at the highest level, that the export of Serbian-made ammunition is under strict control and that these products will not be supplied to Ukraine for Kiev’s use against our servicemen,” Zakharova said.
“Let me just remind you who these soldiers are. They are soldiers who belong to a military force that has repeatedly come to the aid of the friendly Serbian people, both historically and in modern times. I refuse to even discuss not only the possibility, but the very idea that Russian soldiers, who have historically given their hearts in every sense of the word, giving their lives or professing their love and loyalty to their Serbian brothers, will be struck down or killed by Serbian weapons, ammunition, and shells. And that this would be done not by some hellish accident or wild coincidence, but with a degree of intent, deliberately. I refuse to even entertain that idea. I believe that this should never happen,” she concluded.
