Ahead of his visit
to Serbia, Vladimir Putin answered questions from Serbian media –
the newspapers Politika and Večernje novosti.
January 16, 2019
00:00
Politika Newspaper
Question: Serbia and Russia
have enjoyed centuries of historical, cultural and religious ties;
as brothers in arms they have gone through two world wars. Today, we
are facing new challenges. What is your assessment of the present
state of our relations, and what is your vision of their future
development? The new TurkStream gas pipeline is widely discussed. Is there
any chance for our country in that regard?
President of Russia Vladimir
Putin: First, let me extend my warm greetings to all
the readers of the Politika daily, which is one
of the oldest periodicals not only in Serbia, but also
in the Balkans as a whole. I would also like
to seize this opportunity to convey my best New Year
and Christmas greetings to Serbia’s citizens.
As you have rightly put it, good
relations between Russia and Serbia are based on a true
friendship between our peoples, which dates back many centuries, as well
as on their spiritual and cultural kinship, shared history,
including their heroic struggle against Nazism during World War II. We have
carefully preserved and are seeking to develop the precious
traditions of trust and cooperation in the new, 21st century.
This commitment to close cooperation in the political, economic
and humanitarian spheres was reflected in the bilateral
Declaration on Strategic Partnership signed in May 2013.
Today, bilateral relations
in all spheres are on the rise. Mutual trade is growing:
in 2017, the turnover reached $2 billion, having also retained
the upward trend last year. Russian investments in Serbia's economy
have exceeded $4 billion. Cooperation with the Gazprom Neft conglomerate
made it possible for the Naftna Industrija Srbijecompany
to become a leader on the Balkan regional energy market.
The reconstruction and modernization of Serbia's railway infrastructure
is proceeding at a good pace with the participation of RZD.
The legal framework
for cooperation has been consistently improved. Contacts between
parliaments and political parties and public stakeholders,
as well as contacts in science, education and culture are
expanding. Russian experts are involved in a project to build
the Temple of Saint Sava in Belgrade. Thanks
to the sponsorship of our businessmen, the central dome
of this majestic building has been decorated with mosaics. To sum it
up, I strongly believe that such fruitful, diversified cooperation fully
meets the core interests of the peoples of Russia
and Serbia.
As for the TurkStream
project, it follows its implementation schedule. In November 2018,
the pipe-laying stage was completed on the sea leg
of the pipeline; works are underway to connect it
to the terminal being constructed on the Turkish Black Sea
coast. The plan is to put the gas pipeline into full operation
by the end of 2019.
Besides, Gazprom is currently
exploring various options to extend the land-based part
of the transit leg towards Europe. One of the options is
to transport fuel via Bulgaria, Serbia and Hungary
to the gas hub in Baumgarten, Austria. In this case, Serbia
will not only use Russian gas but also facilitate its transit. This will
greatly benefit the Serbian economy, help create new jobs
and strengthen energy security in your country and, more broadly,
in central and southeastern Europe. The roadmap signed between
Serbia and Gazprom in 2017 for modernizing and expanding
the national gas transporting network will facilitate Serbia's
participation in the project.
Of course, we will take into
account the European Commission's position when deciding
on the route for Russian gas supplies. We assume that EU member
states interested in Russian gas should seek guarantees from
the European Union that the plans to extend the TurkStream
will not be thwarted by an arbitrary political decision
on the part of Brussels.
Question: At a time
when certain states in the region are building up armaments
and a so-called Kosovo army is being formed, can Serbia count
on Russia's support to further strengthen its defense capacity,
taking into account our neutrality and the fact that we are
surrounded by NATO countries?
Vladimir Putin: We highly
appreciate that the Serbian leadership remains firmly committed
to maintaining neutrality. At the same time, over the years
we have helped Serbia to enhance its defense capability by supplying
arms and military equipment and providing maintenance and modernization
support. We will continue to develop military and technical
cooperation.
To be honest, we were surprised
by a rather passive response from the European Union
to the decision by Kosovo's ”parliament“ to transform
the Kosovo Security Forces into a full-fledged army. It is clear that
the Serbians living in the province perceive this step
as a direct threat to their security. More broadly, it involves
serious risks of escalating the situation in the region. It
is hardly in the EU's interest to turn a blind eye
to such unilateral actions, which blatantly violate international law,
especially if Brussels wants to continue acting as a mediator
in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.
As we have stated
on numerous occasions, the NATO expansion policy, in our view,
is a vestige of the Cold War, a misguided, destructive
military and political strategy. Today, the Alliance is trying
to strengthen its presence in the Balkans. However,
by doing so, it only draws new dividing lines on the European
continent and blatantly violates the principle of indivisibility
of security. At the end of the day, rather than
contributing to stability, all of this undermines trust
and increases tensions in Europe.
Question: Moscow has long been
advocating the creation of a new security architecture, yet
lately we have been witnessing some dangerous trends developing
in the world, including the recent statements by Washington
on its withdrawal from the INF Treaty. In your opinion, what
could be done to preserve peace amid exacerbating local and global
tensions?
Vladimir Putin: Indeed,
the United States is basically pursuing a course towards dismantling
the system of international agreements on arms control that
prevent it from bolstering its military capabilities, or trying to adhere
to the agreements selectively, i.e. only insofar as they serve
its interests. The declaration of the intention to withdraw
from the INF Treaty has become just another step in a sequence
of similar actions. It is obvious that such a course will have
the gravest consequences.
Naturally, we are not going
to turn a blind eye to the deployment of American
missiles, which present a direct threat to our security. We will have
to take effective countermeasures. However, Russia, as a responsible
and sensible country, has no interest in a new arms race.
Despite the United States' declared intention to withdraw from
the INF Treaty, we are open to further dialogue on ways
of preserving the Treaty. In December, we submitted
to the American side a number of concrete proposals
concerning the issue. We are also ready to hold a serious
discussion on the entire ”strategic“ agenda between our countries.
Russia has firmly
and consistently championed the improvement of the overall
international situation, which, as you have fairly pointed out, remains
tense, and, I would also add, unpredictable. In fact, it was
to a large extent the continued unilateral actions, including
military ones, undertaken by the United States and a number
of other Western States that have led to the current situation.
The result is that the overall atmosphere of confrontation
and mistrust is becoming even worse.
We call on our Western
colleagues to refrain from the practice of blackmail, threats
and provocations, to respect international law, and to build
interstate dialogue based on the principles enshrined
in the UN Charter. That is the key to preserving peace
and strengthening global and regional security and stability.
In conclusion, I would like
to wish the readers of Politika and the people of Serbia
prosperity and success.
* * *
The Večernje novosti Newspaper
Question: The intensive
cooperation of Russia with Serbia and the Republika Srpska
causes irritation in the West and particularly
in Washington. How will you comment on statements by Western
politicians that Russia is a destabilizing factor
in the Balkans, and how do you see relations between Russia
and other former Yugoslav republics?
Vladimir Putin: I am happy
to have the opportunity to address the readers of Večernje novosti – one of the most popular
and influential Serbian newspapers – to answer your questions and share
my views.
As for the situation
in the Balkans, a serious destabilizing factor there is
the policy of the US and some other Western countries aimed
at securing their dominance in the region. As early
as in 1999 NATO forces – without any UN authorisation –bombed
Yugoslavia for two and a half months and forcedly detached
the Autonomous Province of Kosovo. And in 2008, Washington
and its allies supported the illegitimate declaration of Kosovo's
independence.
In 2017, despite the stance
of half of its population, Montenegro was absorbed into NATO.
The authorities did not risk holding any relevant referendum –
as a result, the country is suffering political instability.
To ensure an accelerated accession of the Republic
of Macedonia to NATO even the process of constitutional
amendment and State renaming was launched last year along with
the revision of the foundations of Macedonian national
identity. However, the will of the Macedonian voters was
ignored – the referendum on changing the State's name
failed but the pressure from outside persists.
Our country, knowing
and understanding all the complexity of the Balkans
and the region's history, has always regarded it as space
for constructive cooperation. Today, Russia has many friends here, among
whom our strategic partner Serbia occupies a special place. Thus, our
unconditional priority is to contribute to enhancing regional
security and stability. We support respect for the rights
and interests of the Balkan countries and peoples
as well as for international law.
Cooperation with the Republika
Srpska entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina is mutually beneficial
in strict compliance with the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement. We intend
to further implement our projects in both the Republika Srpska
and the entire territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina
in such areas as energy, oil refining, trade in fuel, banking,
pharmaceuticals, etc. We deem promotion of joint humanitarian initiatives
equally important, taking into account the growing interest
of Bosnians in the Russian language and culture
and in receiving education in Russia.
Our relations with Slovenia
and Croatia are developing steadily despite the fact that our
dialogue with the European Union whose members they are is facing
challenges. There were a number of meetings with the Croatian
leadership in the previous year. Trade is growing: over
the first three quarters of 2018, it increased almost
by 10 percent with Slovenia and by 27 percent with
Croatia. Last year, Russia and Slovenia had cross Seasons of Culture
and the State Hermitage Museum organized a major exhibition
in Zagreb dedicated to the 50th anniversary
of twin-city ties between the Croatian capital and Saint
Petersburg. We will further develop our relations of friendship
and trust, which, I am confident, fully meet the interests
of our peoples.
Question: The Serbian
Orthodox Church has taken the side of the Russian Orthodox
Church in the context of the ecclesiastical crisis
in Ukraine. At the same time, a number of countries are
exerting pressure on Patriarch Bartholomew and seek to ensure
recognition of Ukrainian ”schismatics“ by Local Orthodox Churches.
How do you think the situation will evolve?
Vladimir Putin: I would
like to remind your readers, who are greatly concerned about
the information regarding the split in the Orthodox
community but are probably not fully aware of the situation
in Ukraine, what it is all about.
On December 15, 2018,
the Ukrainian leaders, actively supported by the USA
and the Constantinople Patriarchate, held a so-called ”unifying
synod“. This synod declared the creation of the Orthodox Church
of Ukraine, with Patriarch Bartholomew signing the tomos
(decree) granting it autocephaly on January 6, 2019. Thus, it
was attempted to legalize the schismatic communities that exist
in Ukraine under the jurisdiction of Istanbul, which is
a major violation of Orthodox canons.
Yet, hardly anyone
in the US or in the Ukrainian leadership worries about
this, as the new church entity is an entirely political, secular
project. Its main aim is to divide the peoples of Russia
and Ukraine, sowing seeds of ethnic as well as religious
discord. No wonder Kiev has already declared ”obtaining complete independence
from Moscow“.
Once again, this has nothing
to do with spiritual life; we are dealing here with dangerous
and irresponsible politicking. Likewise, we do not speak about
the independence of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. It
is de-facto fully controlled by Istanbul. Whereas Ukraine's
largest canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which has never requested autocephaly
from Patriarch Bartholomew, is absolutely independent in its actions. Its
connection with the Russian Orthodox Church is purely canonical – but
even this causes undisguised irritation of the current Kiev regime.
Because of this, clergymen
and laymen of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church are being persecuted
and deprived of churches and monasteries, and attempts are
made to deny the Church its legitimate name, which raises tensions
and only leads to further discord in Ukrainian society.
Evidently, Ukraine's leaders have
to understand that any attempts to force the faithful into
a different church are fraught with grave consequences. Yet, they are
eager to put interconfessional concord in the country
at stake in order to conduct the election campaign of the current
Ukrainian President based on a search for enemies,
and to retain power by all means.
All of this does not go
unnoticed by Orthodox Christians.
Naturally, Russia does not intend
to interfere in ecclesiastical processes, especially those happening
on the territory of a neighboring sovereign state. However,
we are aware of the danger posed by such experiments
and blatant interference of the state in religious affairs.
Question: What are
the prospects of economic cooperation between Moscow and Belgrade
in case Serbia joins the European Union? How can this affect Russian
investments in Serbian economy?
Vladimir Putin: We respect
the Serbian leadership's decision to join the EU. Unlike our
Western partners, we do not try to pose an artificial dilemma for Belgrade
and make Serbia choose whether to be with Russia or with
the European Union. In today's global world, integration processes
are developing dynamically, involving new countries and alliances
and shaping new promising structures. We are convinced, therefore, that
neither Serbia's striving for integration into Europe, nor Russia's
participation in the Eurasian Economic Union prevents our two
countries from strengthening their multi-faceted cooperation.
What is important is that Russia
and Serbia remain committed to further increasing their economic
and investment collaboration. The free trade agreement between
the Eurasian Economic Union and Serbia that is being prepared is also
designed to promote such cooperation. Another round of relevant
negotiations took place in Belgrade recently, on January 10–11.
We expect that this instrument will be signed before the year ends
and will open up qualitatively new opportunities for improving
the efficiency of our joint efforts in the economic area
and their practical effect.
I would like to conclude
by wishing all the readers of Večernje novosti and all the citizens
of friendly Serbia peace and prosperity.