(Bloomberg) -- Serbia's pro-government tabloid press reacted with unusually harsh headlines to comments made by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, signaling a potential shift as President Aleksandar Vucic comes under Western pressure to loosen ties with the Kremlin.
The nation, which seeks European Union membership while relying on gas, weapons and some political backing from Moscow, has condemned Putin's invasion of Ukraine at the United Nations, but has shied away from imposing sanctions. Vucic has complained of the “nightmare” for Serbia if it has to pick a side.
A potential turn came with the barbed reaction to Putin's comments this week comparing two pro-Russian breakaway regions in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region with Kosovo, which seceded from Serbia in 2008.
“Putin stabbed a knife in Serbia's back,” the Belgrade-based Srpski Telegraf splashed across its front page. Another pro-Vucic daily, Kurir, wrote that the Russian leader “defends his interests in Donetsk and Luhansk, he doesn't care about Serbia's position on Kosovo.”
“Our state must be guided only by own interests,” Kurir said.
Kosovo hasn't gained full international recognition, with Russia and China backing Serbia's stance. This time, however, Putin “swapped Kosovo for Donbas” and no longer supports Serbia's claim, the Telegraf wrote. It also quoted former Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac as saying it's “delusional” that Russia would put Serbia's interest before its own.
©2022 Bloomberg L.P.
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
