Russia expressed skepticism toward the statement from newly appointed Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic that, if forced to choose, Serbia would choose the European Union over Russia.
Yuri Ushakov from the Office of President Vladimir Putin said that it is still an open question how close Serbia really is to the European Union. Serbia has not applied for NATO membership, due to the legacy of the 1999 Kosovo War, but is applying to join the European Union, while maintaining close ties with Russia.
Brnabic, who surprised many after being nominated as the first openly gay Prime Minister of Serbia, said in an interview with Bloomberg that, if the country is eventually forced to make a choice in its strategic orientation, it will choose the west.
