Reuters. Serbia remains committed to its plan to join the European Union and wants to speed up its membership bid, despite President Aleksandar Vucic's recent trip to Moscow, he said on Tuesday after meeting European Council President Antonio Costa.
Vucic travelled to Russia on May 8 and 9 for a parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory in World War Two and me met Russia's leader Vladimir Putin there, drawing Western criticism.
Vucic said after meeting Costa on Tuesday (May 13) that Belgrade wants to accelerate its European integration and open more negotiation chapters with the bloc.
Russia is Serbia's historical Orthodox Christian ally and a main supplier of natural gas, while Gazprom and Gazpromneft are also owners of Serbia's NIS oil company.
Moscow also supports Belgrade in its opposition to the independence of Kosovo, its former southern province.
Vucic, who has been beset by months of anti-corruption protests led by students, pledged that the government would work to introduce reforms needed for joining the EU.
Serbia must root out corruption, reform its judiciary, media and election laws, mend ties with Kosovo and align its foreign policies with those of the bloc, including imposing sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
European Union officials have repeatedly urged presidents of nations aspiring to join the EU, including Vucic, to avoid Moscow's World War Two victory commemorations.
Out of the Western Balkans nations, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania and Bosnia have secured a status of an EU membership candidate, while Kosovo lags behind.
