The Special Envoy of the United States of America for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar , expressed hope that Serbia would join other countries in the Western Balkans and impose sanctions on Russia after the formation of the new government.
-Â Almost all the countries of the Western Balkans have agreed in a way to make Russia pay the price for that (invasion) through sanctions, through support for Ukraine and its people. I hope that Serbia will join that group and that it will harmonize with the sanctions when it forms the Government – Escobar said in an online address yesterday at the Summit of Democracy of Southeast Europe, which was held in Budva.
The topic of the gathering, which gathered officials from the EU, the USA, Great Britain and the region, was: “War in Europe: Impact in the Balkans”.
Serbia is the only country in Europe that has not imposed sanctions on Russia, although it has agreed with United Nations (UN) resolutions and European Union declarations condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine , and official Belgrade justifies such an attitude by “protecting the country’s vital interests.”
The American envoy for the Balkans welcomed the fact that both the EU and NATO reaffirmed the “open door policy”.
-Â I think it is important that the EU reaffirmed its open-door policy. And this policy does not only apply to Ukraine and other countries at risk, but also reminds us that six more countries are in order before Ukraine – Escobar pointed out.
He pointed out that the countries of the Western Balkans have made “enormous progress” and “impressive reforms” and expressed hope that Europe will put into practice what it says today when it comes to the European integration of the Western Balkans.
