EU urges Serbia to join sanctions against Russia over Ukraine war

BRUSSELS

The EU on Monday asked candidate country Serbia to join the sanctions against Russia and align its foreign policy with the EU.

Speaking to reporters after an EU foreign ministers meeting, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that in the meeting, besides the Russia-Ukraine war, they mainly discussed the EU processes of the Western Balkan countries.

Telling how the foreign ministers of Serbia, Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Bosnia, and Herzegovina and Montenegro attended part of the meeting, Borrell said that EU candidate countries should act in harmony with the EU in foreign policy.

Borrell asked Serbia to join in the sanctions against Russia due to its attack on Ukraine, stressing that maintaining close relations with Moscow is no longer compatible with the idea of building a common future with the EU.

Serbia, citing its longstanding political, cultural, and economic ties with Russia, has refused to take part in the Ukraine war sanctions on Moscow.

Borrell also emphasized the need to start EU accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia.

Reiterating the importance they place on the unity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, he criticized the Republika Srpska's recent destruction of state institutions as incompatible with the European perspective.

He also vowed that the EU would continue to support to Ukraine, citing the €2 billion of military aid provided by the EU and saying that the member states have done much more.

Saying that Ukraine's EU candidacy process is progressing very quickly, Borrell stated that they also quickly examined the candidacy applications of Georgia and Moldova.

* Writing by Seda Sevencan