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Italy says Russia or China could gain influence in Western Balkans if EU dream fails

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Serbia makes a $3 billion deal to buy 12 French warplanes, in a shift away from Russia

BELGRADE, Serbia — Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Thursday announced a $3 billion deal to buy 12 French warplanes, in a move that shifts his country away from its dependence on Russian arms. Macron called called the deal “historic and important,” and said it demonstrated Serbia’s “strategic courage.” “The European Union needs a strong and democratic Serbia at its side …

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BELGRADE, Serbia — Serbia on Friday denied it has exported arms to Ukraine after Moscow demanded to know if its Balkan ally delivered thousands of rockets for Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s invasion. Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said that since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, no weapons have been exported from Serbia to any of the parties to …

In pro-Putin Serbia, liberal-minded Russians seek a home

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Russians “who recently arrived, who didn’t …

BELGRADE, Serbia — At a central square in Serbia’s capital of Belgrade, dozens of Russians gathered recently to denounce President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine, holding up photos of political prisoners from their homeland. Russians “who recently arrived, who didn’t know much about Serbia before, yes, many of them told me they were completely shocked to see this idolization specifically …

BERLIN — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Thursday told leaders of six Balkan countries that aspire to join the European Union that “it is high time to overcome regional conflicts” and stand together as Russia wages war in Ukraine. Scholz highlighted the need to deliver on the countries’ longstanding desire to join the EU, which he said “is in our …

Chancellor Olaf Scholz makes an appeal for unity at a summit with regional leaders in Berlin. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has told leaders of six Balkan countries aspiring to join the European Union that “it is high time to overcome regional conflicts” and stand together as Russia wages war in Ukraine. ‘European path’ “Russia’s brutal war of aggression against Ukraine …

BRUSSELS — The European Union is in the midst of yet another goodwill trip through the Western Balkans to drum up support for the bloc and to make sure that Europe’s historical tinderbox is not about to pick the side of hostile Russia or strategic rival China in the world of geopolitics. During her whirlwind six-nation tour, EU Commission President …

Montenegro wrestles with massive cyberattack, Russia blamed

Close historic ties with Russia and deep internal divisions are undermining a unified national stance on the conflict. “Considering Russia’s base in Syria, increasing its influence in Montenegro could facilitate connection from the Adriatic to the Mediterranean,” Dilek Kütük, a Skopje-based analyst, told Al Jazeera. “With Montenegro’s population split between supporters of independence who identify as Montenegrin or who belong …

Serbia’s pro-government media said Monday Nikolai Patrushev, the powerful secretary of the Kremlin’s Security Council, is due to arrive in Belgrade in the coming days for talks with Serbia President Aleksandar Vucic Belgrade, Serbia: With all eyes on a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin is sending his top security envoy to the Balkans where Moscow has …

BELGRADE, Serbia — With all eyes on a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin is sending his top security envoy to the Balkans where Moscow has been trying to maintain influence mainly through its ally Serbia, according to reports. “There’s information that mercenaries are being recruited in Kosovo, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina to knock Russia out …

As EU hopes fade, Russia, China fill voids across Western Balkans