17.02.2020.

Ministers Vulin and Shoygu: The best cooperation ever

Today, in the Palace of Serbia, Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vulin met Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation Army General Sergey Kuzhugetovich Shoygu, who is staying in official visit to the Republic of Serbia. The meeting was also attended by Chief of General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces General Milan Mojsilović.

Ministers Vulin and Shoygu talked about defence cooperation which marks an upward trend and which is developed in keeping with the Declaration on strategic partnership, and they underscored a common orientation towards additional enhancement of the cooperation between the two countries, and towards achieving all goals of the cooperation to mutual satisfaction of the two friendly peoples and states.

The progress made in the cooperation is best supported by the data that in 2019 alone, the number of activities conducted in the framework of international military cooperation with the Russian Federation was 94, while in the period 2000-2012, the number of conducted activities of bilateral military cooperation was insignificant.

Minister Vulin pointed out that personal relations of presidents and supreme commanders of armed forces Vladimir Putin and Aleksandar Vučić had contributed to the cooperation between the two states being at the highest historical level and he added that President Vučić was the only statesman in Europe who had stated that his country would never impose sanctions on Russia.

Minister Vulin underscored that Serbia highly appreciates the fact that the Russian Federation has not recognised so called “State of Kosovo” and he thanked the Russian Federation for the principled and consistent support to preservation of territorial integrity of the Republic of Serbia and its national interests.

Minister Vulin stressed that we will never forget 2015 when upon request of President Vučić, President Putin decided for Russia to exercise its veto at a session of UN Security Council thus preventing “yes” voting on resolution that would condemn genocide in Srebrenica, which prevented the Serbs being proclaimed a genocidal nation.

Serbia desires strong and tough armed forces – Minister Vulin said – because it is a guarantor of stability and neutrality, and of it progress and development – and he express his gratitude for the military technical assistance rendered by the Russian Federation to the Serbian Armed Forces.

Minister Vulin expressed his concern for the Serbs and Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro, and over the attacks against the Republic of Srpska and violation of the Dayton Treaty. He particularly pointed to the fact that establishment of so called “Kosovo Armed Forces” and its arming and strengthening was unacceptable. Particularly concerning is the lack of reaction on the part of the European Union, NATO and all those who guarantee the implementation of the UN SC Resolution 1244 – said Minister Vulin.

Serbian minister of defence stated that he would, in keeping with the military neutrality policy, strive to develop and further enhance cooperation with the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), and bilateral partner relations with its member states.

Congratulating Minister Shoygu on his reappointment to the duty of the minister of defence in the new Government of the Russian Federation, Minister Vulin expressed his gratitude because he had chosen Belgrade for the first official visit in his new mandate. Minister Vulin also thanked Minister Shoygu as a sincere friend of Serbia, on his personal engagement and selfless assistance that he had rendered, especially for the equipping of the Serbian Armed Forces with arms and military equipment from the Russian Federation. He also expressed his belief that such projects would be continued in the future.

According to Minister Vulin, the Serbian Armed Forces have been honoured by invitation to participate in commemoration of the Day of Victory over fascism in the Second World War to be held in Moscow on 9th May 2020. Serbian minister underlined the significance of that jubilee, especially in the times when there are attempts at revision of history and alteration of historical facts.

Minister Shoygu congratulated the Statehood Day of the Republic of Serbia to Minister Vulin and expressed his satisfaction with the degree of development of defence cooperation between Serbia and Russian Federation.

As the best indicator of exceptionally developed relations, the Russian minister of defence instanced joint exercises of the two armed forces and added that in the course of realisation of six exercises for the members of the two armed forces, all participants showed a high level of professionalism and supreme competence, and they also demonstrated friendly relations in the field.

Minister Shoygu extended his personal invitation to Minister Vulin to attend the ministers’ meeting of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in June this year.

At the end of the meeting, Minister Vulin extended congratulations to Minister Shoygu on the occasion of the upcoming Defender of the Fatherland Day, which is observed in the Russian Federation on 23rd February.
Today’s visit is the ninth meeting of ministers Vulin and Shoygu since the appointment of Aleksandar Vulin as the minister of defence of Serbia.