21.12.2017.
Strengthening Strategic Partnership with the Russian Federation
The visit from the President of the Republic of Serbia and Supreme Commander Aleksandar Vučić to the Russian Federation, with the delegation of ministers including Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vulin, confirmed the strong orientation of Serbia towards further development of political relations with the Russian Federation founded on strategic partnership and readiness of the both sides to deepen them in all the areas.
During the visit to the Russian Federation, in the Kremlin, the Serbian President and Supreme Commander Aleksandar Vučić talked with the President of Russia and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, upon whose invitation he paid the several-day long visit to Moscow. The two presidents and supreme commanders expressed their satisfaction with economic and every other cooperation of the two countries, whose further development and strengthening they discussed during the two and a half hours long meeting.
In the matter of procurement of arms and military equipment, and the modernisation of the existing assets, the visit to the Russian Federation once again confirmed that everything that had been agreed in the previous period, was carried out in due time and ahead of schedule. Namely, in Moscow, a general agreement was reached regarding procurement of six Mi-17 helicopters, as well as further modernisation of armoured units and other combat systems of the Serbian Armed Forces.
The President and Supreme Commander also met Vice President of the Government of the Russian Federation Dmitry Rogozin, with whom he discussed bilateral relations, the situation in the region and economic cooperation, and the visit was concluded by a lecture of President Vučić at Moscow State Institute for International Relations, where he was given the title of Honorary Doctor of Philosophy of that Institute.
President and Supreme Commander Vučić expressed his satisfaction with the achieved dynamics of high and the highest level meetings and expressed gratitude for steadfast and consistent support of Russia to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia. He pointed out that it was very significant for Serbia to continue regularly exchanging information with Russia and to harmonise activities with international organisations in the matter of Kosovo and Metohija and he said that Russia was ready to involve itself in the dialogue on K&M in case of format change, that is something that Priština insisted upon and which endeavoured for a longer period of time to involve the USA in the dialogue.
