Vučić Calls On Europe to Partner with Moscow

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić called on Europe to forge a closer partnership with Moscow and assessed Kiev's chances of victory. These bold statements were made during an interview with the Swiss newspaper Weltwoche.

Aleksandar Vučić, President of Serbia:

"If the question is whether Ukrainians can defeat Russia, I think that's unrealistic. If it's whether NATO can defeat Russia, that's a different story. And we need to be prepared to lose tens or hundreds of thousands of lives from alliance countries. No one is prepared for that. Everyone would like to use Ukrainians as infantry, as cannon fodder, while someone else makes decisions for them. But in that case, Russia cannot be defeated. I hope Europe will establish a closer partnership with Moscow. You will need Russia, its natural resources, its people. Not to fight China, but to create real competitors for it."

Earlier, Vučić refused to respond to accusations from several EU countries regarding Serbia's relations with Russia, stating that he has no intention of making excuses. He said he is aware of the doubts some EU countries have regarding Belgrade's relations with Moscow and Beijing, but he does not intend to change his approach.

Photo AP