Ministry of defence Republic of Serbia
 
04.12.2019.

Presidents Vučić and Putin meet in Sochi




President of the Republic of Serbia and commander-in-chief of the Serbian Armed Forces, Aleksandar Vučić has met with president of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin in Sochi today. Minister of defence Aleksandar Vulin is in the delegation of the Republic of Serbia as well.
 
After the meeting with president Putin, president Vučić said that they had very good, very meaningful talks, and stressed that he was grateful to Russia for the support to the international law and Serbia regarding Kosovo and Metohija issue and for the preservation of our country's territorial integrity.
 
“As for political cooperation, we count on Russia’s support in all international forums and organisations, and Russia counts on our support as well”, President Vučić said.
 
President Vučić said that he had conveyed to the Russian head of state his “not too great expectations about the future regarding the negotiations with the Albanian side – primarily considering their statements, announcements and attempts to wheedle out with additional pressures only the recognition of Kosovo’s independence, where Serbia would not get anything, and reiterated that he was grateful to President Putin for providing Serbia with continued and firm support.
 
At a joint press conference with Russian president Vladimir Putin in Sochi, Vučić thanked the Russian side for its support in equipping the Serbian army. After the meeting, Vučić stated that Serbia and Russia have excellent military-technical cooperation, as well as a large number of joint military activities.
 
Our economic cooperation is crucial for Serbia, President Vučić said.
 
In particular, he emphasised that he had invited President Putin to come to Belgrade and that he had accepted with great honour his invitation to attend the Victory Day in Moscow on 9th May 2020.
 
President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin emphasised that today’s talks with president of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić were useful and meaningful and that they contribute to the friendship and strategic cooperation of the two countries.
 
“Russia and Serbia attach great importance to the stability of the region. We strive to establish good neighbourly relations and reduce the potential for conflict”, President Putin said.
 
President Putin said that he and the President of Serbia had thoroughly discussed all aspects of Russian-Serbian cooperation and exchanged views on the situation in the Western Balkans, primarily Kosovo and Metohija, as well as other current regional problems.
 
President Putin also pointed out that Moscow’s position on the Kosovo-Metohija issue is unalterable and added that he believes that the basis for the solution should be the Security Council Resolution 1244.
 
He emphasised that relations between Serbia and Russia have a rich history and that they rely on centuries-old friendship and mutual support, and reminded that the two nations fought side by side in World War II and fought against Nazism.
 
In this context, he stated that next year would mark an important date for Russia – 75 years since the end of the Great Patriotic War – and that president Vučić had accepted the invitation to come to Moscow on the 9th May next year.