Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Tuesday that his country's military neutrality is a permanent policy, and Serbia will not side with any party in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.  

"Our policy is not neutral; we are on the European path, but we cooperate with Russia and China, and we will not abandon our traditional friendships. I don't think we should be any side's flunkey," he told reporters after meeting Monaco's Prince Albert. 

Commenting on Ukrainian Ambassador Oleksandr Aleksandrovych's call for Serbia to condemn Russia's decision to recognize two breakaway areas, Vucic said that Belgrade does not want to end its friendship with anyone, adding that he could call the ambassador to ask his president to clearly condemn the aggression on Serbia committed by great powers such as the U.S. and Great Britain.

(Cover: Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic gives a joint news conference with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov following their talks in Belgrade, Serbia, October 10, 2021. /CFP)