Serbian president speaks to Putin for first time in 2.5 years

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic spoke on Sunday by phone with the Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time in two and a half years, as a decision is expected regarding Vucic's participation in the BRICS summit next week.

Serbia, a European Union candidate, has refused to impose sanctions on Russia, maintaining close and friendly relations.

However, since the invasion of Ukraine, Serbia has condemned the violation of Kyiv's territorial integrity, and Vucic has had limited bilateral talks with Putin.

"I particularly thanked President Putin for ensuring that Russia will provide sufficient quantities of gas for Serbia this winter," Vucic said in a social media video message.

Serbia was completely dependent on Russian gas when Moscow's forces invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Since then, following the lead of many EU countries, Serbia has worked on finding alternative sources but remains partially reliant on Moscow