(Bloomberg) -- Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic says he won’t attend an annual BRICS summit this week as the Balkan country tries to balance its ties with Russia with efforts to join the European Union and to improve relations with US.
Citing a schedule clash with a visit by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Polish Premier Donald Tusk and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Belgrade, Vucic said he asked Vladimir Putin for understanding that he won’t attend the summit in person.
Instead, he will send four top government officials, Vucic told Serbia’s state broadcaster RTS in an interview late Monday.
“Even if it weren’t for these visits, it would be very difficult for me to come because of various issues” that Putin is aware of, Vucic said without elaborating. “I was very honest to President Putin,” he said.
Putin prepares to host leaders for the annual BRICS summit, in Kazan from Oct. 22-24. The BRICS group comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa expanded in January to include Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia and Egypt.
Serbia is a rare country in Europe that hasn’t joined western sanctions against the Kremlin imposed over its invasion of Ukraine. “He values that,” Vucic said, referring to Putin. Serbia has condemned the invasion of Ukraine but remains under intense pressure to join the sanctions and sever ties with Moscow.
Vucic also praised the Russian leader for helping ensure steady supply of gas to Serbia at “very convenient” prices. Serbia is also working to diversify its sources of the fuel by developing new pipelines that can bring gas from Azerbaijan and from a liquefied gas terminal in Greece.
Serbia’s current, three-year arrangement with Gazprom expires in March. Full diversification away from Russian gas will take years, so talks are expected on a new contract.
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